Bridging the Gap Between Strategy and Execution

The purpose behind The Pulse is to provide timely, relevant guidance for Strategy and Operations Leaders based on challenges we’ve seen in past roles and every day with the companies we partner alongside at Elate. Our hope is that these learnings lead to better outcomes and open new opportunities for how Leaders approach Strategy Execution and Strategic Planning.

That's why I always enjoy when subscriber feedback inspires a new edition. 💡

In the last Pulse, I shared that we are On The Brink of a New Era in Strategy Execution.

Between the pace of change and the frequency of shifts occurring on a global level, organizations are being challenged to innovate on previous forms of Strategic Planning.

We’re seeing more organizations lean into a dynamic approach that shortens decision cycles by accelerating feedback loops and streamlining reporting to surface information faster.

While this shift comes from a need to match what’s occurring at the macro level, it’s also being magnified 🔎 by the pressures many Leaders are facing to provide answers amidst uncertainty.

In particular, the CEO.

Whether from downward pressure applied by Board Members and Shareholders, or from employees seeking clear vision and direction that embraces this new age of technology, it’s clear that there are expectations from every direction that CEOs chart a course through the uncertainty.

And in fairness, that’s their role.

So you might be thinking, what exactly inspired this Pulse? Well, building on this CEO-sentiment, I had one reader last week highlight the following section with a question:

Excerpt: "If your CEO has ever popped into your office and asked, “What are our employees actually working on right now?” 🗣️ ... you’re not alone."

Reply: “Yes! This is our business on a weekly basis right now! How do you suggest we help them see this isn't sustainable?”

As a former Strategy Leader and current CEO, I feel like I’m somewhat equipped to tackle this question with perspective from both angles, so let’s dive in… 🏊

Seeking Clarity Amidst Uncertainty

The cost of standing still during a time like this can alter the course of your organization. 🗺️

In fact, there is an argument to be had that conditions won’t slow down or return to the previous ‘normal’. Personally, while much of the technology we are seeing come to life is new and exciting, I think we are just at the tip of the iceberg.

That's why I believe the organizations that thrive in the years ahead will leverage these advancements to raise their levels of execution.

As a software organization, we feel that pressure more acutely than most, but it is happening across every industry we work with at Elate.

And from what I’ve seen, the individual feeling that reality most is your CEO.

As I shared earlier, whether from the Board of Directors, shareholders, or pressure from internal stakeholders to provide direction amidst the uncertainty, it is the responsibility of the CEO to cast the vision and understand how today’s changes can ultimately impact the strategy to realize that vision. ✨

One of the best pieces of advice I've received as a CEO is to widen the funnel: take in as much information as you can, then filter it through the lens of your organization to separate what matters from what doesn't.

That said, the best way to make this a reality is either to increase the top of the funnel, which can be challenging for some, since we haven’t yet found a way to increase the time in a day. Or, increase the rate in which you process information and act upon it.

Which leads me back to the perspective of a CEO or organizational Leader…

Aligning CEO’s Vision with Employee Urgency

If a CEO is concerned about the pace of the organizational change or the alignment of efforts towards the overall strategy, that concern often shows up in the form of questions aimed at understanding what employees are prioritizing.

Resources are limited, as is time. So now more than ever, it’s imperative that efforts are aligned throughout the organization.

In fact, when resources are aligned, the right tools implemented, and priorities visible across the organization, this unlocks how organizations can accelerate in the midst of uncertainty.

But this starts with your Leadership team and the direction provided by your CEO.

When I speak about the impact of great CEOs we work with at Elate, I often reference it as harnessing the power of lightning. ⚡

Great CEOs can cast a vision, they can create excitement, and they can spark momentum across the organization. They are like bolts of lightning that provide the energy needed to build great companies.

However, that voltage can be dangerous if not harnessed correctly.

And this is where Strategy and Operations Leaders come into play.

They (you!) serve as the individuals that help harness that lightning in a way that doesn’t shock employees, but instead, energizes them around the shared vision and direction of the organization.

Strategy and Operations Leaders channel this momentum in the form of strategic plans that, when done well, create alignment between the vision set by Leadership and the ways that employees prioritize the right work.

A great strategy aligns vision with urgency by removing unnecessary barriers, distractions, and objectives that cause CEOs to ask “What are our employees working on?”

Provide Direction that Empowers Employees

Now at this point, you might be thinking, “We did that, Brooks! We set a strategy, but it’s changed so many times. Employees thought they understood priorities, but it shifted under their feet and left them feeling disenfranchised.”

Employees are more resilient and amenable to change than you might think. Fact. ✅

But it’s important to help them understand the ‘why’ behind evolving changes within the organization, and this comes in the form of direction.

At Elate, we refer to these as Themes, which help chart the course for employees over the course of the year.

While we do see that the Objectives owned by employees, or the prioritization of Objectives may change, the Themes set at the Leadership level at the beginning of the year rarely do.

By providing Themes, and more importantly, a unified view of where to find these Themes, you empower employees with the ability to make decisions on their own. To reprioritize and communicate based on changes happening week-to-week without losing sight of the vision being cast by the Leadership team.

Often we see that organizations, especially the CEO, take for granted that employees can identify these organizational Themes, mainly because they aren't reinforced and revisited throughout the year.

It isn’t enough to share them at a company kickoff and hope for the best.

If you want to align vision with urgency, it has to be brought to life in a way that enables employees to quickly identify, resource, and act upon the Objectives that ultimately deliver on your organization’s Operating Outcomes.

An Operating Framework to Bridge the Gap

As you evaluate whether your organization has a surefire way of aligning vision with urgency, start by identifying your Operating Framework.

Is your framework truly serving as the connective tissue between your strategy and execution?

Is it intuitive and clear for employees to understand where their work ties into the overall framework?

You can start with the included visual, but I’d love to hear your feedback. Is this working for you today? If so, what’s working best? If not, we’re always here to help.