How do you train your team to execute your strategy?

Foster a culture of continuous learning within your team. Emphasize that acquiring new knowledge and skills is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

One thing I have found helpful on training the employees is to make sure they understand the vision behind the strategy and the bigger picture of the outcome. I draw a road map on how to execute the strategy and we do it together backwards Starting from the results to the beginning of the course.

For a vision to be motivating, it needs to connect with our values in some way. More diverse teams have more diverse sets of values. So, when communicating your vision, take time to expand on ways that it connects with different values in your team. For example, it might enable one person to build friendships, while it might enable another to solve problems. Good visions are meaningful to everyone in the team, but often in very different ways.

Vision and execution strategy needs to be communicated clearly, and frequently to all team members. Be it in team meetings or in all-hands meet, vision must be reiterated everywhere. Talk about how this vision will impact the day to day working models of the team. What is in it for the team members at all levels? How will the lives change (or rather, improve) for the team? Coming to the execution strategy, co-create the execution plan with team leads and key members. This will ensure a degree of acceptance when execution gets underway.

For large organizations where there are many layers between senior management and the workforce, there may be a need to supplement the vision by connecting the dots between the work they perform daily to the overall mission or vision. As an example, Microsoft’s mission is to “empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” If I am a Security Researcher II on a security engineering team or an Executive Business Administrator, how can you help me connect the dots to better understand my contributions to the overall mission? Having that understanding helps the team execute more effectively and enable them to make better recommendations and decisions.

Promote cross-functional collaboration during the planning process. Encourage representatives from different departments or teams to participate in strategy discussions and planning sessions.

Foundational to this step is creating an environment of trust and psychological safety. Everyone on the team should understand that their voice and insights, along with those of their teammates, are important and should be respected. All team members should feel confident that they can speak-up, provide feedback and even challenge or disagree without the fear of repercussions or negative impacts. At the same time, everyone must understand, once their feedback has been heard and acknowledged, they must accept whatever decision is made. Constantly challenging the same decision will erode team trust, slow down progress and negatively impact morale.

This is the most critical step in my opinion. As CEO, I make sure my whole team is involved in creating our strategy on a page. When I have complete buy-in it makes it easy to execute. My team owns the strategy as much or more than I do!

One of the key principles that I like to emphasize is the concept of activating people. Rather than just communicating a strategy to employees, it's about making them active participants in its creation and execution. By involving employees from the outset, we can harness their insights, experiences, and unique perspectives, which can be invaluable in crafting a robust and actionable strategy.

In today's world, more than ever, people want their voices to be heard. Regardless of how older generations feel about it, hierarchy is less important these days. I hold meetings and one-on-ones with managers to listen to them, and they know I want to hear not only their opinions but also what their teams think. However, it's essential to realize that listening to everyone doesn't necessarily mean doing everything they want. If you're the CEO, you're in that position for a reason. Ensure that you can justify your decisions and let everyone know you've taken their input into account.

In cases of invasive changes, it is imperative to train the existing team members to ensure they are capable of delivering what is expected of them in the new paradigm. In any team, you'll find those who are eager to try new things (early adopters) - identify, engage and train these folks early. This group represents your future trainers. As you move to the next phase, setting goals and KRAs, will ensure the new paradigm is part of the day to day outcomes, and high achievers are rewarded, and slow adopters identified. It is important to back this up with sufficient training and learning framework to ensure team members have the best chance to adopt the new paradigm.

Training is more than just concepts; it's about practical application. Consider integrating real-life scenarios and case studies in your training modules.

The ideas of fast feedback and fail fast, especially in the early stages of the effort, are key to success. Make yourself available to the team to answer questions, address assumptions and provide feedback on progress. It’s important the team knows they are heading in the right direction and feel supported if changes are needed. Also, be aware of the type of feedback you are providing. Ensure you are focusing on the “what” and not the “how.” Pushing the team to discover the “how” on their own will enable professional growth (thinking beyond their role) and increase the chances of success when they have a sense of ownership in the ideas and plans.

Trust is crucial. It's easy to have faith in others when everything is going well, but the real challenge arises when things take a downturn. Make sure to shield your team from mistakes and unfavorable results, and ensure they acknowledge your support!

My team and I reevaluate our strategy every 90 days. It allows us to celebrate, pivot, and execute. Remember, as CEO your job is to provide the guidance to creating the strategy, but let your team own making the strategy and the decision.

Incorporate regular feedback sessions where team members can voice their experiences, challenges, and suggestions regarding the strategy. It allows the team to continuously refine their approach, adapting to challenges and capitalizing on new opportunities.

1/ Communicate your vision. Gather your team together and explain your vision. What are the benefits for your customers, your employees, and your shareholders? 2/ Involve your team in planning. Ask your team to help you identify the key actions, resources, and milestones that will support your strategy. Encourage them to share their ideas and feedback. 3/ Provide guidance and support. Set clear goals for your team and provide them with the resources and support they need to be successful. 4/ Empower your team to act. Trust them to make decisions, take risks, and innovate. 5/ Review and refine your strategy.

This is missing #8 - Hold people accountable. When implementing a strategy, a leader cannot simply do all the other steps and then sit back and hope it all happens. Regular monitoring, measuring and feedback is key, along with consequences if commitments are not kept.

Start with interactive workshops that break down the strategy into relatable, real-world scenarios. Use role-playing to simulate challenges they might face, enhancing problem-solving skills. Incorporate gamification to make learning engaging & memorable. Create a strategy playbook that outlines key actions & decision-making processes in a user-friendly format. Encourage team members to teach back portions of the strategy to peers, solidifying their understanding & fostering collaboration. Regularly check in to gauge understanding & address gaps. Most importantly, lead by example, demonstrating strategic actions in your daily work. This approach ensures your team not only understands the strategy but is equipped & motivated to implement it.