Sailing the Seven Cs of Strategy

What to do? What to do? The situation changed. The unexpected happened.

So much goes into developing a strategy for everything that comes your way. These Seven Cs could help you chart your course.

·????????Curiosity

·????????Constraints Management

·????????Continuous Improvement

·????????Collaboration

·????????Connecting People and Dots

·????????Critical Thinking

·????????Customer Satisfaction

Curiosity

What happened? What internal and external causes affected your careful plan? Wonder about it. Be curious. What is the clear, concise description of the problem? This is the name of a file you create and the project, your objective. Set up a file to chart your course and your progress, your “Captain’s Log”.

Constraints Management

When you identify the obstacles, the constraints that are preventing your progress, list them. Don’t leave anything out. Look at the list. Is there a pattern you didn’t see before? Do you have the right title? Do you need to refine your objective? Constraints go to Column 1.

Continuous Improvement

If how you do what you do is not already documented, document it. Match it to your list of constraints. Where are the areas that need improvement? Has this changed the constraints in any way? Areas for improvement go to Column 2.

Collaboration

Now that you see what areas need improvement, what entities do you need to involve? Is the needed improvement internal or external? Has this changed anything in columns 1 or 2? Internal and external entities go to Column 3.

Connecting People and Dots

Put the right people together to provide a solution. This might be an unusual grouping. Look at dependencies. Do steps before and after the step that needs fixing also need fixing? Are there elements that are available anywhere else? Did this affect the previous thoughts? People who control the steps go to Column 4.

Critical Thinking

Tear it apart. Use SWOT analysis. Attack it from every angle. What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for your plan? This will affect everything you already documented. Make changes. All strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats go to Column 5.

Customer Satisfaction

All of this is to accomplish this single, most important issue. Are you satisfying your Customers? Are you delighting your Customers? What do they really need? Ask them! Have you addressed their needs? Have you made use of every strength and opportunity? Have you addressed every weakness and threat? Actions go to Column 6.

Sail to Success

Don’t get stuck on plotting your course. Launch! You can always change course if needed. Just keep the destination in mind. If you need help, I’m here at [email protected]