By Sarah Brennan | August 2024
Congratulations on completing your annual strategic plan! Now: how do you transform that impressive document into tangible results? Many organizations find themselves overwhelmed at this stage, unsure of how to bridge the gap between planning and execution. Luckily, there are some small activities you can be doing now to set your team up for success in 2025.
Prioritize and focus on key objectives
What are the two to three things that must be accomplished in your strategic goals? What are the items that, if they weren’t accomplished, it wouldn’t matter if you did anything else – they are that important? The popular EOS framework calls these your “rocks”— the critical initiatives that will drive your organization forward in the next 90 days. By concentrating on a limited number of key objectives, you can ensure that your team’s efforts are focused and effective.
Start by reviewing your strategic plan and selecting the three most important priorities. These should be initiatives that are most important to achieving overall organizational success, enable other priorities, or require the most time and resources to complete. It’s essential to limit your focus to avoid diluting your efforts. When your team has too many priorities, it can lead to confusion and a lack of progress.
Once you’ve identified your rocks, assign clear accountability. Designate a responsible individual for each priority and define specific expectations. A useful tool for this is the RACI matrix, which outlines who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for each initiative. Establishing a regular meeting cadence, such as weekly check-ins, allows your team to review progress, address challenges, and stay aligned.
Work backwards from your goals
Now that you’ve identified key priorities, work backwards from your end results and define what needs to be true to consider each a success. This method ensures that every action you take directly contributes to your ultimate objectives. Identify the resources required and assess whether you currently have what you need. If there are gaps, develop a plan to acquire the necessary resources. This reverse planning not only helps you create a clear roadmap but also allows you to identify potential roadblocks early on. By addressing these challenges proactively, you can prevent them from becoming critical issues that derail your progress.
Celebrate milestones along the way
While your strategic plan likely outlines SMART goals, it’s crucial to recognize and celebrate intermediate achievements. These milestones serve as important indicators of progress and can help maintain momentum within your team. For instance, if one of your goals is to increase market share by entering new geographies, consider celebrating smaller wins, such as identifying those new markets or securing your first sale in a new region.
Acknowledging these steps not only boosts team morale but also reinforces the idea that success is not a straight line. By highlighting various positive actions along the way, you can ensure that your team remains motivated and focused on the larger objectives. Remember, it’s essential to create a culture that values progress, no matter how small.
[Source: Chief Content]
Align daily operations with long-term goals
One of the biggest challenges in executing a strategic plan is ensuring that day-to-day operations align with long-term objectives. To bridge this gap, you can incorporate strategic conversations into your internal meetings. For example, if you have standard company-wide updates, make sure to discuss your strategic goals and progress toward them. In departmental meetings, highlight progress on initiatives that are closely tied to specific teams or functions. This alignment helps employees see how their daily tasks contribute to larger organizational goals.
A famous anecdote about President Kennedy illustrates this point well. When he asked a janitor at NASA what he did, the janitor replied, “I’m putting a man on the moon.” This response highlights the importance of connecting every role to the organization’s strategic vision. By helping everyone understand their part in the initiative, you foster a sense of ownership and accountability.
Invest in your team
Your strategic plan is only as good as the people executing it. Investing in your team is crucial for successful implementation. If your team requires specific knowledge or skills to succeed in a new offering, provide them with the necessary training and resources as soon as possible. This proactive approach enables them to start executing effectively and confidently.
If your goals are so ambitious that they cannot be achieved with your current team, consider seeking external support. This could involve hiring subcontractors or leveraging systems that can provide the additional momentum needed to move forward.
Take action
Transforming your strategic plan into reality requires focus, clear communication, and consistent effort. If you’re ready to put your strategic plan into action but need personalized guidance, let’s chat about how to tailor these strategies to your organization’s unique needs and challenges.