Ask Coach: Tap Into The Power Of Your Team To Set A Strategic Path
By Hardin Byars, executive coach with HTG Peer Groups
Q: How do I set a strategic direction for the company?
Coach: The “how” is a relatively simple process. The implementation of the process is the hard part — but more on that in a minute. Procedurally, I’d recommend something like the following steps:
- Accurately assess the current state of your company — e.g., what is our current business model; what is working; what’s not working; what makes us unique; why do we even need a strategic direction?
- Define reality — e.g., what does success look like for this process; what am I prepared to change and what is off the table; what resource constraints will limit our options; what is my time frame for accomplishment?
- Tap into the power of your team to identify a strategic path.
Step 1 (starting point) and Step 2 (rules of engagement) are pretty self-explanatory, so let’s explore the why and how of Step 3: tapping into the power of your team.
Why Do We Need A Strategy Anyway?
We know that operationally there must be tight integration between our internal delivery processes and the clients we are serving. However in a healthy company there must also be alignment between our Strategy and our People (For more on this see Labovitz & Rosansky’s The Power of Alignment). Great people who are not directed by a common strategy are at best a loose confederation and at worst an unruly mob. Conversely, an innovative strategy without the right people to execute it is little more than an academic thesis.
Tapping Into The Power Of Team
Generally speaking, whenever we approach an issue, there are three dimensions of analysis: a big picture dimension that takes a holistic or systemic perspective; a tactical dimension that focuses on tasks; and a relational dimension that focuses on people. Yet, as individuals, we are typically stronger in one of these dimensions than another and tend to over-weigh that aspect. However, by employing a diverse team with strengths in each of these areas, we can obtain a much more effective outcome than going it alone as the leader.
Getting Step 3 right is also essential to ensure that this is not just a theoretical exercise but results in implementation across the company. Conceptualizing a solution is important but adoption advances the ball. The same diverse team that architected the solution will likely become its biggest champion within the company.
So at the end of it all, the relevant question is not so much “How do I…” but “How do we...”
Hardin Byars is an executive coach with HTG Peer Groups where he is most energized by helping CEOs apply their God-given talent to achieve their potential and create business value. He also advises senior executives on strategic planning and organizational development to drive sustainable growth. Prior to his affiliation with HTG, Hardin was CEO of Intellinet, a nationally managed Microsoft partner focused on maximizing the business value of corporate IT investments. You can reach him at hbyars@htgpeergroups.com