Amin Monfared’s Post

As many companies embark upon next year’s budgets and business plans, how do you set your strategies? How do you ensure your employees are tied to the success of your vision? How are you involving your learning and development department to ensure employees have the right skills to execute your strategy? #learninganddevelopment #leadership #strategicthinking

It got a lot to do with carefully selecting the correct brain profiles for the right roles, which is creative or innovative skills (right brain dominant) and execution orientated skills (left brain dominant) and then the missing link will be the transition of strategy into execution skills (vary scarce markup - left and right brain dominant). If the wrong selection is made for the wrong roles - then your likeliness to succeed is limited.

Motivating individuals is a hugely underleveraged tool to close the gap between strategy and execution. Great leaders know that success stems from specific skills that come together in unique ways to do the challenging tasks in executing the strategy. But today most employees don’t even understand how they are connected to the strategy. In a recent (not-yet-published) survey of 540 executives, managers, and non-managers by Strategy&, only 28% of employees said that they feel fully connected to the purpose and identity of their organization. Articulating the strategy in human terms—what capabilities the company will need to build, and what skills are required to do so—not only helps the company focus on how to develop the right talent, but it allows individuals to understand how their role fits into the overall strategy, and allows them to see their work in a much more fundamentally connected way.

Agree. We are at in an inflection point in the current Industrial Revolution, where strategies and tactics can exist independently— they aren’t mutually exclusive anymore! Sun Tzu’s words in the The Art of War rings true even louder in the current context: “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Strategies and tactics complement each other — #strategy #tactics #operations

“Articulating the strategy in human terms—what capabilities the company will need to build, and what skills are required to do so—not only helps the company focus on how to develop the right talent, but it allows individuals to understand how their role fits into the overall strategy, and allows them to see their work in a much more fundamentally connected way.” In a developmental conversation once, I told a leader that I was driven by strategy and operations - they said it can’t be both. I remember being really confused 😊. This article hits the nail on the head though; for leaders to operationalize a strategy, there must be alignment with leadership, team members must understand and catch hold of the strategy, and the strategy must be funded.

How to Excel at Both Strategy and Execution

We need more leaders that can excel at both strategy and execution

The article brilliantly highlights the evolving landscape of leadership, breaking free from traditional categories and advocating for a harmonious fusion of visionary thinking and operational excellence. The real-world example of Starbucks and CEO Howard Schultz's leadership journey is both compelling and instructive. It vividly demonstrates how a visionary operator can turn a simple coffee retailer into a 'third place' for communities globally, a feat that goes beyond aesthetics and ambiance. The notion that only 8% of leaders excel at both strategy and execution serves as a wake-up call for the business world. It's evident that today's leaders must be adept at navigating both realms to thrive in a fiercely competitive environment. The actionable insights provided, such as the need to clarify what a company excels at and what it aims to achieve, directly resonate with the challenges many organizations face in executing their strategies. The emphasis on linking budgeting to strategy and motivating employees to understand their roles in the broader strategic picture is particularly compelling. In the end, the article serves as a powerful reminder that, in a world where differentiation is paramount, the leaders who successfully bridge the gap between visionary thinking and operational execution are the ones poised to excel and shape the future of leadership. It's a compelling call to action for leaders and organizations to evolve their approach in the ever-changing business landscape.

The goal is to excel at both #strategy and #execution!