THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION（一）

ACCA P3 考試：Strategy Implementation

DEADLY SIN ONE

THE STRATEGY IS NOT WORTH IMPLEMENTING

In too many cases, what is referred to as business strategy, is deficient in analytical rigor, creative insight, ambition or practicality. If the strategy is going to get the active support of management and staff, it needs to be specific, realistic and give the organisation something to strive for. Strategy making is often considered to be easy. It is easy if the strategy development process limits the scope of discovery, the breadth of involvement and the amount of intellectual effort expended. The strategy should not just be more of the same, incremental or comfortable. It needs to be stretching or innovative.

DEADLY SIN TWO

PEOPLE ARE NOT CLEAR HOW THE STRATEGY WILL BE IMPLEMENTED

When the strategy has been developed and evaluated, it then requires a plan to prepare the organisation for its implementation. There is always a strong desire to get started and make the strategy happen. The time spent on implementation planning is often seen as time wasting. However, there are a number of important issues that need to be addressed including:

▎priorities for management;

▎timescale;

▎lessons learnt from previous strategy implementations;

▎impact on structure and staff at all levels;

▎participation; and

▎risks.

DEADLY SIN THREE

CUSTOMERS AND STAFF DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE STRATEGY

There is a tendency for chief executives and senior management to communicate the business strategy on a ''need to know'' basis. If you don't put in the effort to sell and explain the strategy, how can you hope to have it implemented? Your front-line supervisory staff must understand what the strategy is about, why it is important and how it will affect them. The strategy implementation plan should include a communications plan, which sets out who needs to be told about the strategy. The plan should not only include senior management but also middle management, supervisors, staff, customers, suppliers and other key stakeholders.

DEADLY SIN FOUR

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE CHANGE ARE NOT CLEAR

It is not sufficient just to develop a very insightful and relevant strategy and hope that the logic behind the strategy will be enough to make it a reality. People should be given clear and specific responsibilities for making strategy work. The more people you directly involve in the implementation process the better. This will create a wider sense of ownership, commitment and responsibility for making the strategy happen. Accountability must go hand in hand with responsibility. If someone has been given an implementation task, make sure they do it. Part of assigning staff responsibility is giving clear, understandable instructions and tasks and reviewing progress at regular intervals.