5 Principles for Strategy Implementation Success

We have seen how the Governments mobilised to safeguard citizens and manage the economic fallout. COVID-19 has disrupted our status quo. We now support a remote workforce, are switching to cloud-based solutions, are experiencing bandwidth problems, are concerned about our data security, and dealing with disruption to our client projects and their budgets – all because of uncertainty. Now leaders in every industry must do the same ? by putting plans in place to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While progressing their new or revised strategies, leaders need to monitor how they are ensuring the safety of their staff and suppliers. A core element of this is for leaders to assess what ‘ways of working’ they wish to keep, and what they will change ? based on what they and their team have learnt during this challenging time.

The team at PMLogic believes executives need to re-shape their strategies and business plans to the new normal.

This includes embracing digital technologies and new ways of working. We know that for business to survive it is critical for changes to be managed carefully and to ‘stick’. We have a proven approach based on five Strategy Implementation Principles: Purpose | People | Practices | Platform | Performance that may help.

Let’s look at how each of these 5 principles can help you grapple with these challenges and changes, and contribute to your organisation’s success coming out of COVID-19:

Purpose – Has your purpose changed? Business and government organisations should revalidate their purpose and reinvigorate their people’s focus on the validated or updated Purpose ? our ‘Why’ as Simon Sinek says. Having a clear purpose helps executives ensure their vision, mission, and strategic objectives can be understood, shared and collaborated across the team. So that everyone is aligned and constructively contributing to achievement of the organisation’s purpose.

People – Are your people behaviours aligned? It is important to make sure you have people on the team with the right behaviours and skills - aligned to your purpose. Sometimes executives need assistance to learn about being effective change sponsors. Sponsors who create a people environment that is carefully created for cultivating success. Upskilling, reskilling and transferring knowledge to people remains a top priority during times of change. Leading people to improve their skills, relationships and behaviours will help them embrace the new ways of working implemented across your organisation.

Practices – Are changes requiring new ways of working? As change is implemented it is critical to capture and embed knowledge in your organisation’s practices. Your practices should be accessible, easy to learn and continuously improved upon. Please keep in mind, your new ways of working will drive your ability to efficiently and effectively achieve your objectives and purpose.

Platform – Are your platforms supporting a remote workforce, are they cloud based and secure? The new platform(s) you choose will need to capture your organisation’s information, status and practices. The right platform will enable you to increase business transparency and make better business decisions ? based on good business intelligence and data analytics. Your large complex change/project agenda requirements may need improved platform support ? to reduce effort and cost, improve delivery consistency, and reduce the risk of failure.

Performance – Can you track the positive impact of your changes? We all agree that what gets measured gets done. Leaders need data so that they can measure their change agenda and innovation performance against their defined objectives and Purpose. We recommend the introduction of lead-based metrics, which must be greater than KPIs ? such as number of people with tasks aligned to objectives, or project managers with valid schedules ? so you can be confident that the changes being introduced through your innovation and strategic agenda are on track to deliver the key results.

Leaders responding to COVID-19 and embracing a new change agenda should be focussed on ‘what needs to come next’.

Leaders can adopt PMLogic’s five Strategy Implementation Principles and supporting award winning DELIVER framework to help them respond to COVID-19, adapt and successfully achieve their updated business objectives and strategies.