milestone partners strategy vs. tactics
DESCRIPTION
From the Milestone Partners 2011 CEO Conference.TRANSCRIPT
Clarifying Strategy and Tactics for Value Creation
Survey Results
What position do you hold in your organization?
• 13 CEOs• 15 BOD members• 1 Interim CEO• 1 BOD Chair / CEO• 31 total responses
I believe that the current strategy for our company is on target and realistic.
I believe that we have full alignment and support for our strategy
across our management team, our board and the team at Milestone.
I believe there is a high level of open, honest and transparent communication across our organization, board and the team at Milestone.
I believe that our organization shows great discipline in executing on our key strategies and objectives.
Learning Objectives
• Establishing a common language and set of definitions around the core elements of strategy.
• Exploring the disconnect between overly ambitious strategies versus actual resources available and true organizational capabilities.
• Underscoring the critical need for full alignment and consensus on strategy between ownership and management teams.
• Discussing the why's and how's of ensuring that the entire company understands the strategy is aligned and committed to implement it.
• Examining the barriers to effective execution of strategy.• Reviewing the role of a BOD member in strategy alignment and execution.
What sort of questions should they be asking, what should they be looking for?• Understanding that as a key foundation the business MUST function well,
otherwise strategy is useless.
A few of my clients:
For the past 21 years…
Five Foundations of Effective Strategic Thinking
Business Acumen
Personal Experience
Pattern Recognition
Strategic Insight
Disciplined Execution
Key Terms: Mission Vision Strategy Objectives Tactics
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” Leonardo da Vinci
Mission
A mission statement describes what an organization is all about: its purpose and primary objectives. It answers three key questions:
• Whom do we serve?
• What is the benefit to our stakeholders, community and
the world?
• Why does this organization exist? It should resonate with all members of the organization and help
them feel proud and excited to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Medtronic Mission
“To contribute to human welfare by application of biomedical engineering in the research, design, manufacture, and sale of instruments or appliances that alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life.”
Vision
A vision statement is what the organization wants to become. It is a picture of the desired future, where they see the business 5-10-20 years from now.
Features of an effective vision statement include:
• Clarity and lack of ambiguity • Vivid and clear picture • Description of a bright future • Memorable and engaging wording • Realistic aspirations • Alignment with organizational values and
culture
Vision: Anheuser-Busch
• Be the world's beer company.• Enrich and entertain a global
audience .• Deliver superior returns to our
shareholders.
• Early 1900s: Democratize the automobile
• Current: To become the world's leading Consumer Company for automotive products and services.
Vision: Ford Motor Company
Workshop: Vision
Strategy
• Your strategy is the plan of action you want to take to achieve success in your business.
• It is a thoughtfully constructed plan to address a need to be met, or a problem to be solved; determining which resources you will marshal to meet that need or solve that problem; and setting the criteria for success.
• Strategy is not merely maintaining sight of the long term options for realizing the vision, but also includes an appreciation and study of the opponent's thinking and response to challenge.
Strategy Clock
Various Strategic Options
1. Low Price / Low Added Value (Dollar General)
2. Low Price (Walmart)
3. Hybrid (Target / Dell)
4. Differentiation (Nordstrom / Apple)
5. Focused Differentiation (Gucci)
Objectives, Strategic Objectives, Goals, KRA’s…
• Objectives are the major projects or programs that support the strategy.
• It is where senior leaders allocate significant resources to be deployed by mid-level and lower-level managers on specific tactics.
Tactics
• Your tactics are the specific actions, sequences of actions, and schedules you will use to fulfill your strategy.
• If you have more than one strategic objective you will have different tactics for each.
• Tactics are typically short-term, immediate actions… which taken together will eventually lead to the achievement of the overall strategy.
Lets go through the entire process…
Anheuser-Busch Mission:
Through all of our products, services and relationships, we will add to life's enjoyment.
Vision: Anheuser-Busch
• Be the world's beer company.• Enrich and entertain a global
audience .• Deliver superior returns to our
shareholders.
Strategy: Market domination through Differentiation
AND……
AND….
Tactics: Fitty
Tactics: Foodies
Tactics: Bubba
The Organizational Framework for Effective Strategy
WHO WHAT HOW
Cross-FunctionalTeams
BOD & Senior Leadership
Departments
Adapted from: Six Disciplines Execution Revolution
Individuals
Planning RetreatQuarterly Workshops
GoalsTracking
Dashboard
Dept. Tactical PlansStatus Reports
Regular Meetings
Individual Tactical PlansStatus Reports
Regular Meetings
IndividualsAction ItemsTo-do Lists
The Key: Brutal Honesty in the Analysis !!!!!!
The Missing Element?
10 – 15%
What Inhibits Execution?National Survey of 4,000 Senior Executives
4. Inability to work together (21%)
3. Company culture (23%)
2. Economic climate (29%)
1. Holding onto the past / unwillingness to CHANGE (35%)
The Four – I’s
• Ignorance• Inflexibility• Indifference• Inconsistency
How to avoid the Four I’s
• Aggressive external market focus.
• Ridiculously high level of customer focus.
• Keep the “Main Things” the main things.
• Bullish on knowledge sharing and learning.
• Teamwork / communication is mandatory – not optional
• Passion and commitment at all levels.
• Foster a healthy paranoia.
• Revel in change.
Where are we going andhow will we behave on the way?
FocusDifferentiation“No”
Guiding Collation
Vision + ValuesStrategy
ObjectivesInitiativesPrograms
Procedures / ProtocolsRepeatable ProcessClear / consistent / relentless
Training +time / money /
supplies / people
Measure / TrackCommunicate
Transparency Accountability
Celebrate SuccessEliminate Mediocrity
A few key points… All together now!
Clear, Consistent, Continuous…
Measure & Post Create A Dashboard of Key Indicators
MPS Margin Per Sale
Talent
Customer Service
Customer Retention
BOD and Management Relationship
BOD / Management Team / MP
Company Management
Team
Key Point:Strategy is INTERNALas well as EXTERNAL
The Pattern of Business Success
(T + C + ECF) x DE = Success
The level of highly satisfied and engaged EMPLOYEES in your business.
The number one factor in increasing the level of highly satisfied and engaged CUSTOMERS in your business is…
Job + Organizational Engagement = Employee Engagement
Not Engaged Engaged
Enga
ged
Not E
ngag
ed
Job Engagement
Org
aniz
atio
nal E
ngag
emen
t
50%
9%
Benchwarmers
7%
Free Agents
34%
Stars
Disengaged
Actively Disengaged Employees…
22%
Key Drivers of Customer Satisfaction and LoyaltyFinancial
Performance
Quality P&S&
Customer Relationship
EmployeeSatisfaction
Empowerment High Standards
Long-termOrientation
Enthusiasm, Commitment,
Respect
Training &Development
Fair Compensatio
n
CR= 104.12% increase in profits
CR= .404
CR=.334
CR=.277
CR=.275CR=.249
CR=.280 Coaching
CR=.285
CR=.371
CR=.365
CR=.191
CR=.247
TolerateNothing
Less
From: Practice What You Preach by Maister
Global study:16 countries529 companies15,589 respondents
Chart: 4Workshop: 5
Customer satisfaction drives customer loyalty… and customer loyalty drives profitability
100%
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
Extremely Dissatisfie
d
SomewhatDissatisfie
d
SlightlyDissatisfie
dSatisfied
Very Satisfied
Zone of Defection
Zone of Indifferenc
e
Zone of Affection
Loya
lty
Customer Satisfaction
Terrorist
Evangelist
A 5% increase in loyalty among your best customers…
Can produce a profit increase of 25% – 85%
I hate you
I don’t care about you
I love you
Actively disengaged employees can reduce revenues by up to 22%, while highly satisfied and engaged
employees can drive profits up by as much as a 189%
Culture = Cash
Best Practices: Talent• Create a pipeline of talent into your
company.
• Hire for attitude – train for skills.
• Use team interviewing.
• Train people how to interview.
• Use a focused competency model.
• Use numerous types of testing.
• Do a thorough reference check.
• Make sure they really want to work for you.
• Hire slow – fire fast.Make “Hiring Right” a core competency!
Culture• Innovation• Kaizen• Accountability• Urgency• “Ownership Mentality”
Web of Value
VOC + MOT
Extreme Customer Focus
Whoever owns the… VOICE OF THE
CUSTOMEROwns the Marketplace
Moments of Truth
The Evergreen Project
10 year study of 160 top companies
40 distinct industries
200 management practices
Winners, climbers, tumblers, losers
Winners had an average Total Return to Shareholders of 945%...
The Losers only averaged a TRS of 62%
From: What (really) Works by Joyce, Nohria, Roberson
The Four Primary Practices:
1. A sharply focused, clearly communicated and well-understood strategy for growth.
2. Flawless operational execution that consistently delivers the value proposition.
3. A performance-oriented culture that does not tolerate mediocrity.
4. A fast, flexible, flat organization that reduces bureaucracy and simplifies work.
22
The Secondary Management Practices:
• Talent = find and keep the best people.
• Key leaders show commitment and enthusiasm for the business.
• Embrace strategic innovation.
• Master the power of partnerships.
From: What (really) Works by Joyce, Nohria, Roberson