Closing the Gap: The Strategy Execution Challenges Impacting Your Organization
With over a decade of experience reporting to CEOs, I've witnessed firsthand the ebb and flow of strategy execution within organizations. In my observation, there are two distinct patterns, each presenting its unique challenges:
The Dreamers Dilemma encapsulates strategies that soar high on vision but fall short on execution. Organizations grappling with this dilemma often:
lack of follow-through
have overcrowded portfolios
experience funding shortfalls
Innovation without implementation;
and resistance to change, typically stemming from apathy.
Conversely, the Tactical Tangle embodies scenarios where execution overshadows strategy. Here, organizations face challenges like:
insufficient planning time
micromanagement
an unhealthy bias for action
a scattered approach to the cause despite passionate efforts;
and resistance to change, often stemming from burnout.
Regrettably, strategy-execution gaps yield the same disheartening outcome: a lack of meaningful progress year after year.
Yet, it doesn't have to be this way.
The first step toward breaking free from this cycle lies in recognizing which gap poses the greatest threat to your organization and then devising a targeted plan to address its root causes.
Throughout our careers, many of us have encountered both scenarios.
Personally, I've found the Dreamers Dilemma more prevalent in the private sector, whereas the Tactical Tangle tends to manifest more frequently in nonprofit settings.
In essence, understanding and navigating these two ends of the strategy execution spectrum is crucial for driving sustainable progress and achieving organizational objectives.
By acknowledging the nuances of each scenario and proactively addressing underlying issues, leaders can steer their organizations toward a path of success, regardless of the challenges they encounter along the way.
