Reasons Why Strategic Plans Fail: Part II

Scott Glatstein, writes for the American Chronicle with this article "Business Strategy Execution: 4 Reasons Why Your Company’s Strategy Isn’t Working."

"Your business strategy defines your company’s intent. In essence, it’s a promise – a promise that defines what your organization intends to deliver to its customers and the marketplace. But articulating a good strategy is only the beginning. It’s the strategy’s execution that determines whether an organization can turn good intentions into profits."

Here are four primary reasons why your strategies aren’t living up to their full profit potential:

1. The strategy fails to recognize the limitations of the existing organization.
2. Employees don’t know how the strategy applies to their daily work.
3. The organization’s business systems or processes can’t support the strategy.
4. Performance metrics and rewards are not aligned with the strategy.

BOTTOMLINE: "Your employees need clear direction and the tools and processes necessary to support them. You need to “activate” your strategy. Strategy Activation is the new bridge that spans the chasm between strategic intent and marketplace implementation. It takes “what” an organization wants to do and defines “how” it is going to do it. It ensures that every employee drives the promises made to the marketplace across every customer touchpoint every day. Without this, your strategic vision will remain a presentation and nothing more."