Getting your team and business into a High-FLOW state!

Hello colleagues,

Hope you are all well? Hard to believe that we are into the second half of 2024 and the new financial year already? For many clients the past two months has required them to take a deep dive into their strategic plans to ensure that?their business strategy, culture, and business priorities are all in alignment and progressing well. The new year is like a new beginning, a new year and a structured review process (quarterly and half yearly) should be considered a key part of the planning process.

Remember the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail."

This segue into the reposting of this month’s topic is that having a plan is not enough…it doesn’t really cut it in times of uncertainty and volatility; your plan should just be one segment of a structured broader business strategy.

Built upon the notion that structure produces behaviour, (Tolstoy) the process of building FLOW requires the creation and implementation of a principle-based delivery model, a structure driven by a clear vision, a willingness to innovate and a preparedness to do things differently, open and transparent communication, and shared leadership! Getting the entire team on the same page and focused on delivering business objectives is paramount to success.

Everyone’s definition of success and what a great outcome for 2024 may be is different, however one element is constant regardless of your business type or sector; a clearly defined strategy linked to key business priorities and a clear plan for execution is critical for success!

The significance of how well you and your team EXECUTE its strategy will determine the business’s FLOW state and that level of success! This notion is reinforced through Harvard Business Review statistics that typically (on average) businesses’ close out 57% of their strategic goals year on year, hardly a result to get excited about!

When I talk with my clients, the conversation often comes down to five key areas;

1.?? In respect to strategic priorities what’s important and why?

2.?? What are you trying to achieve, and what is the measure of success? What we can measure , we can manage!

3.?? How are you going to do this (Execute) the plan?

4.?? Are you maximising your human capital in respect to support of your vision, process efficiency, and matching talent to task?

5.?? Who is responsible and accountable (Champion) for each of the your strategic objectives?

Working through these five elements is?a crucial exploration of existing capability and the identification of any gaps or challenges that are foreseeable. This conversation also feeds into the FLOW (process management) piece, where the goal is to create a high-flow environment, a space where all stakeholders know and understand the direction and focus of the business. It is also important for team members to understand the role they play in executing on the strategy.

These are fundamental principles that support the creation of a High-Flow work culture, a workspace where peer accountability and a collective focus on team goals and performance deliver improved business outcomes.

Building a sustainable business that stands you miles apart and above your competitors requires a clear vision, a willingness to change and adapt, a strong commitment to a clear strategy (Plan), and a capacity for the business and its leaders to engage with employees in what can be difficult and sometimes robust conversations. It’s about employees having a sense of ownership of the desired outcomes / objectives, ?if you like becoming the custodians and champions of the work that they perform.

A high-flow strategy and work culture enables leaders to create strong and resilient levels of team cohesion (‘Esprit-de Corps’ ), ?rallying the team around an inspired vision and purpose of the organisation. Typical upsides of this High-FLOW approach demonstrate improved staff retention, less absenteeism, greater work ethic and personal productivity, and a sense of belonging, all of which contribute to improved operational efficiency and business performance!

Note: In building the suggested High-FLOW structure it can be unsettling and challenging for some… when exploring changes in behaviour (challenging old habits and work processes), cultural dynamics and existing team norms, it needs to be a carefully facilitated process. Typically, organisations don’t change, PEOPLE DO, and required changes will only evolve as a result of your ability to bring the team together (United) and to create a space (a cultural climate) where it is safe for people to engage in open and meaningful dialogue. A space where “crucial and sometimes robust Conversations’ can be conducted, conversations that allow for the undiscussable to be examined.

The measure of your leadership ability and capacity to effectively manage and lead the team will often be judged by how well you facilitate these conversations and maintain a positive and safe environment for all stakeholders.

Here's hoping that 2024 will become your best year ever!

If you would like to have a deeper dive and explore a 45-minute complimentary conversation around your organisations Strategy Development and Execution processes, email me direct @ [email protected] or tap into my Calendly diary here to lock in a time.? Mark Jones Calendar