10 simple questions to make your strategy come to life

Struggling to make your strategies more actionable? The best strategies are real based in an authentic and transparent vision because a strategy is plan of action with a long term aim. The strategy must support the vision and have real impact in a business. Assess your strategies by asking these 10 simple questions:

1. Do your strategies have real metrics and can you track them? Metrics keep everyone on track and by measuring them you can see progress.
2. Does your reporting support the strategy? If you can't report it how will you know if its been successful? Identify the basic reporting required and how often.
3. What are the risks to the strategy and how will you offset them? Conceptualise the worst case scenarios and brainstorm ideas to mitigate risks.
4. Do your people know why the strategy is in place? If not, make sure you tell them how it links to the vision and how they contribute.
5. Have you explored other options for each strategy? Make sure you have a back up plan, a plan B and perhaps C and D!
6. Who can help with the strategy? Rarely does a strategy require one persons perspective, seek to collaborate with others to broaden the thinking.
7. How will the strategy help others? Show them how they win by supporting the strategy. Envisage what success looks like and share that.
8. What's the time frame to deliver the strategy? Be clear with expectations and deliverable. Set the best and worst case time frame and explore impacts.
9. Have you got good milestone checks in place? Stay checked in at regular intervals to ensure success and find gaps earlier. Never skip the check in, its vital for communication.
10. What format will the strategy updates be in? People need to see information in many ways, explore different communication methods to help people stay engaged.

By asking these questions you will make the strategies you have more robust and actionable and can address any gaps faster to improve your productivity.

At NewThink we develop individuals and teams by focusing on thinking techniques to improve creativity, communication and productivity. Through exploration of your own, your teams and your organisations thinking preferences, we aim to create greater diversity of thinking that will enhance your business culture and bring better results.We offer individual consultations, communication workshops, team and leadership workshops, sales training and consulting. Get your teams working and thinking better together. Contact NewThink today to see how we can help you and your team. www.newthink.net.au

?