Ask Coach: Making Your Team Part of Strategic Planning, Part 1
By Rich Anderson, executive coach with HTG Peer Groups
Q: How do you invite your team to be part of strategic planning?
Coach: Instead of “invite,” “engage.”
My Boxer Shorts
I received a rather tart pair of boxer shorts for Christmas intended either as a joke or as a gastrological comment. Emblazoned on the seat of the shorts is the coiled rattlesnake made famous by the yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flag designed for the American Revolution. However, the historic “Don’t Tread on Me” caption was replaced by “Silent But Deadly.” Beyond the not-so-subtle message, I believe these shorts and the American Revolution (from the Declaration to the Constitution) may help answer your question.
Invite Or Engage
You use the word “invite.” I prefer the word “engage.” I might rephrase your question as, “How do you engage your entire team to get the highest level of buy-in so you can maximize the success of your strategic plan?” Your challenge is to help your entire team engage and strategically think and act beyond their day-to-day operational responsibilities. In this first part of a three-part series on engaging your team in strategic planning, I will comment on your leadership team and your vision.
George, John, Thomas, Benjamin — Start with a Small Group of Leaders
The American colonists figured out early on that having everyone on the policy-making leadership team (a direct democracy) posed logistical challenges. But to get broad based buy-in, especially for the Revolution, they knew everyone needed to feel as if they had participated or had been effectively represented. So they created a republic with representative democracy in which to carry on the debate, make the policy and thrash out the Revolution.
The Revolutionary leadership was small in number. Each one had a unique perspective, personality and skill. Often referred to as our Founding Fathers, I like to refer to them as our Founding Brothers. Any list of these leaders is inadequate, but we can at least identify these seven critical leaders: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and John Madison.
A Revolutionary Lesson: Limit your leadership team to five to nine members. Having too large of a leadership team creates logistical and communication challenges. Don’t be afraid of a variety of personalities, perspectives, and skills on your leadership team. This is far better than blindly surrounding yourself with a bunch of “Yes Men.” Make sure your entire team feels represented by your leadership team. Your team needs to know you hear them.
The Declaration Of Independence — Cast A Vision
As our Founding Brothers met to wrestle with the problems of their day, they reviewed the colonial history they had lived, the core values they shared, and the mission they faced. Then, through the powerful pen of Thomas Jefferson, they cast their vision of a free and independent nation which derived its power from the consent of the governed. What was the focus of the Declaration of Independence? The problems and the people (the governed).
A Revolutionary Lesson: With your problems and your people in the cross hairs of your strategic aim - review your company history, your values, and your mission. Then cast your vision. Don’t clutter the strategic planning process with operational issues or fire-fighting. Keep it focused on vision casting. Your team members will find it easier to think and act strategically when you hold up a broader strategic vision with which they can align.
In part two of this series, I will look at heated thrashing debates and being aware of the silent but deadly.
Rich Anderson is an executive coach with HTG Peer Groups where he is most energized by helping people around their priorities. He also presents leadership workshops and seminars including team personality and judgment assessments and training. Prior to his affiliation with HTG, Rich was a private practice attorney where his practice included advising small business owners from startup through succession, estate planning, and conflict resolution. Rich also served four terms in the Iowa Legislature. You can reach him at randerson@htgpeerpgroups.com.