How do you adjust your strategy based on results?

1 Define your objectives and metrics

The first step to adjust your strategy based on results is to have a clear and measurable definition of what you want to achieve and how you will track your progress. Your objectives should be aligned with your vision, mission, and values, and should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). Your metrics should be relevant, reliable, and realistic, and should capture both the outcomes and the outputs of your strategy. You should also have a baseline and a target for each metric, and a way to collect and analyze the data regularly.

2 Monitor and review your results

The second step is to monitor and review your results periodically and systematically. You should have a schedule and a process for collecting, reporting, and reviewing your data, and a way to communicate your findings to your team and stakeholders. You should also have a set of criteria and indicators to evaluate your performance and identify any gaps, issues, or opportunities. You should use both quantitative and qualitative data, and consider both internal and external factors that may affect your results. You should also compare your results with your expectations, your competitors, and your industry benchmarks.

3 Identify and prioritize your adjustments

The third step is to identify and prioritize the adjustments you need to make based on your results. You should use a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) or a similar tool to assess your current situation and identify your areas of improvement, innovation, or transformation. You should also consider the root causes, the impacts, and the feasibility of each adjustment, and rank them according to their urgency, importance, and alignment with your objectives. You should also involve your team and stakeholders in the decision-making process and solicit their input and feedback.

4 Implement and communicate your adjustments

The fourth step is to implement and communicate your adjustments effectively and efficiently. You should have a clear and detailed action plan for each adjustment, including the scope, the timeline, the resources, the roles and responsibilities, the risks and mitigations, and the expected outcomes. You should also have a communication plan for each adjustment, including the purpose, the audience, the message, the channel, the frequency, and the feedback mechanism. You should also monitor and track the implementation of your adjustments and report on their progress and results.

5 Learn and improve from your adjustments

The fifth step is to learn and improve from your adjustments continuously and systematically. You should have a learning culture that encourages reflection, feedback, and experimentation. You should also have a learning system that captures, analyzes, and shares the lessons learned from your adjustments, both successes and failures. You should also use the learning outcomes to inform and refine your objectives, metrics, and strategy, and to foster a cycle of continuous improvement.

6 Celebrate and reward your achievements

The sixth and final step is to celebrate and reward your achievements and recognize the efforts and contributions of your team and stakeholders. You should have a recognition system that acknowledges and appreciates the achievements and improvements made by your team and stakeholders, both individually and collectively. You should also have a celebration system that creates and reinforces a sense of pride, satisfaction, and motivation among your team and stakeholders, and that showcases and shares your achievements and improvements with your wider audience.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?