Take Your Strategy into the Gym!

Strategy is incomplete without employee alignment and ignition, and that is one of the principle reasons why companies find themselves with a potentially great strategy sitting on a shelf collecting dust.  A fundamental mistake some companies make when attempting to get employees engaged in strategic execution is they confuse communicating the plan with action.  Simply communicating a strategic plan does little to secure alignment and engagement.  In fact, the net result is often confusion and apathy.  It's like talking about getting back in shape but never going to the gym.  If your strategy isn’t readily understandable and relevant to your employees, then briefing them on what it is just wastes everyone’s time.  Further, you get no credit for the effort.   Ever had a friend that keeps talking about doing something but never gets started?  Sooner or later, you quit listening altogether. As employee surveys have shown time and again, simply sharing your strategic plan doesn’t equate to strategic engagement and won't automatically get people ignited.

Here’s a simple analogy.  I’ve redoubled my own efforts lately to get myself into better physical shape.  We all recognize that improving our physical condition is always a long-term process.   After all, you didn't gain all that weight overnight and you're sure not going to lose it quickly either.  Once you’ve reached your goals you then need a strategy to prevent yourself from losing ground.  One of the most effective ways for me has been to use interval training.  You see interval training is a long-term strategy that features sustained effort interspersed with periods of intense exercise.  Interval training is designed to build both strength and endurance.  Getting strategic alignment within an organization has some striking similarities with interval training.

First of all, effective interval training regimens (like most physical fitness programs) are planned in advance, not ad hoc.  Therefore, you decide in the beginning what specific strength exercises are to be interspersed with periods of intense effort.  From there, you have to execute your plan while making adjustments along the way as necessary.  The interval training approach builds stamina that will carry you through and enable you to establish a path to sustainment.  It all starts though with getting into the gym and implementing your plan!

Here are similarities between interval training and strategic alignment worth considering. When you plan your strategy deployment, you need to take the long view of your effort and not allow yourself to get easily discouraged when early results don’t seem to meet your expectation (or more like your fantasies).  Carefully lay out a plan that looks at the next 12-18 months at a minimum.  Determine exactly what periods of intense activity (specific initiatives) you will use as well as how you will capitalize on those initiatives to solidify gains and build organizational strength in the interval between periods.  Monitor your progress but don’t get discouraged if you’re not experiencing great results in the beginning.  Remember, you didn’t get stuck in a strategic hole overnight, and just like losing weight, you won’t return to health in an instant.  Capitalize on things that are working and make adjustments when you need to.  A good regimen does not have to be overly prescriptive; consistency is far more important.  Finally, share your progress as well as setbacks.  Be accountable to others and you’re far more likely to stick to the plan.  They say in exercise routines, that being transparent and allowing others to hold you accountable is key to staying on course - the same is true for your strategy deployment.

Just like persistent, quality effort in the gym will ultimately deliver results, you may be surprised at your strategic transformation if you develop a plan, implement it consistently, monitor your progress, and be transparent and accountable to others.  So what are you waiting for?  Get into the strategic interval training gym!

Duane Grove is founder of Connect2Action, a strategy execution specialist at the intersection of employee engagement and executive leadership, igniting innovation as a lever to accelerate your growth.  Follow Duane on Twitter @connect2action.