strategy - The Aspiring Leader

Confident Strategy: The Why, The What, And The How

Posted on February 13, 2024by Adam

The team I work with loves to play buzzword bingo. If it’s not an analogy, then it’s another buzzword from Adam. Something that constantly appears on the bingo hitlist is the word deconstruct or the phrase “we need to reverse engineer this thing.”

What I’ve noticed is that problems very rarely change. However, methods become outdated. So when the financial controllers tell us we need to reduce some costs, the real message is that the return on investment is no longer kicking goals for them. I’m unsure if I’ve ever had instructions to increase my budget. Usually, it’s the opposite. But it’s not always about looking for cost savings; it can be about efficiency or increased output.

We have two choices: either reduce the expense or reinvent and become more efficient to increase the outcomes.

In an environment where change has become necessary, reducing the cost of something to save money is delaying the inevitable. It can often end up in a retention strategy – how do we keep it going rather than grow it?

That’s why we need to deconstruct. Strip it back to why it exists in the first place. Today’s problems are just yesterday’s outdated strategies. Whenever change creates conflict, it often stems from arguing over the method—rarely the actual problem or the original objective.

Streaming Services VS Physical Media: The method differs, but the objective is delivering music to the consumer.

Uber VS Taxi Industry – The technique differs, but the objective is getting customers from point A to point B.

Premier Access VS Movie Theatres – The method is different, but the aim is to get people to watch the movie upon release.

Sometimes, the process of deconstruction can be simple; other times, it takes considerable effort, research, and contemplation.

But deconstruction is only half the process. We then need to reconstruct it to the current version and method. So, firstly, take it back to the original objective, then rebuild it and see what works best for the present age.

The process we follow is to ask three questions – why, what, and how. The trick is to get honest – remove the “pretty talk” and get real about it. The process isn’t for spruiking; it’s for getting real, and getting back to the foundational “why” is the first step.

Why?

Not why do we do this, but why do we NEED it – there is a difference. We don’t do this because of the outcome it achieves but rather the problem it solves. Often, when someone is asked to explain the “why” (or justify it), the answer usually lists the results or what we seek to achieve. Knowing the real and deep why is truly understanding the problem.

There’s a business fable about a young executive who took over from his father as CEO of a company that manufactured drill bits. He gathered the managers and asked them to tell him what they produced. The seasoned executives, I’m sure with much humour, reminded him that they manufacture drills bit. But, he corrected them; they weren’t in the business of producing drill bits. Instead, they were in the business of helping people put holes in things. As the fable goes, the company reinvented itself in the mining industry. I don’t know where I first heard this story, but Theodore Levitt (Harvard Business School Professor) once said, “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.”

Understanding “why” is knowing customers “want to put holes in things” and aren’t shopping for drill bits. Establishing our authentic why is necessary to ensure we build a strategy that achieves the actual purpose.

What?

Once the “why” has been established, the next step is determining what would solve the identified problem. Again, it’s not to determine how we do it but the solution to fixing the issue (or opportunity) we uncovered along the way.

If we consider our friends back at the drill manufacturing company, their eyes were now open to various possibilities. They were no longer limited to producing bits for hand-held drills; now, they were solving the problem of putting holes in things. I remember hearing this story because the same company eventually invented the machinery that built the tunnel under the English Channel. Big holes!

Even if it is a fable and not a truth, the principle of this story is still valid. Getting our thinking away from methods and even what we’ve done in the past is necessary to ensure we understand how to solve the problem.

How?

Now, we get to the fun part! We know the problem, and we’ve identified what we need for a solution. So, now we get to create our solution. This part of the process leads our (perhaps fictional) case study to think beyond drill bits and into the realms of tunnels that span countries.

What can we do that truly solves the problem of our target audience?

The outcome of this entire process will lead us to two places:

Our current strategy is working. We’ve pulled it apart and reconstructed it; the result is the same (or close to). You now have greater confidence in your methods and what you are doing.
You can confidently establish a new problem-solving strategy. Again, you have confidence in this new method because you truly understand the problem and solution.

The change process and journey now become the gap between the previous “how” and the new “how.”

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Change

Managing Change Through Strategic Planning – The Horizons

Posted on January 23, 2024by Adam

Change can be exciting but also extremely tiring. Like embarking on a long walk with a toddler. Enthusiastically full of energy at the beginning but concludes by being dragged, carried, or a combination of both to make it back home.

I am fundamentally programmed to not only love constant change but need it. I get restless if I sit still in the same place or in the same process. But not everyone has the same wiring that I do. Some of us need consistency and trust to feel most effective and comfortable.

We can all respond to a compelling vision and jump on the journey. The exciting part about change is the journey toward an agreed preferred future. However, there is a disconnect between the excitement of change and the loss of control experienced through the process. We can be onboard while still struggling to release our control. Often, there is a lack of trust – perhaps in leadership, our direction, or the effectiveness of the envisioned outcomes.

The first step in building trust is to understand strategic planning horizons.

The three horizons framework (featured in The Alchemy of Growth, Baghai, Coley & White) provides a structure that companies can use to assess the potential opportunities for growth without neglecting performance in the present.

I think of the horizons as what we do today, tomorrow, and into the future. Therefore, although the authors present them regarding products and services, I have applied them in the context of strategic change.

The three horizons are identified by:

Horizon 1 – The Whirlwind

The whirlwind (defined by The 4 Disciplines of Execution) is the activity that we are doing today. The need for change may have resulted from the whirlwind’s ability to be busy without results that drive growth. As a result, there is very little success, and often, we are on a declining path towards failure. Unfortunately, much of the whirlwind has an emotional and even sentimental attachment – it is often the “thing we are most known for.“

The first horizon speaks the language of “this is what we’ve always done” and “where we have seen success in the past.” The end-user generally possesses a high level of trust in the activities and outcomes of this horizon. Teams are often caught in the whirlwind and can be whisked away by busyness as the years pass.

The results and outcomes are easy to measure; however, those metrics are likely outdated or no longer aligned with the future direction. Nevertheless, there is safety, comfort, and trust in the whirlwind.

Horizon 2 – Innovative Ventures

The second horizon is full of opportunity and excitement. There are new areas to explore; however, they need a considerable amount of resources and investment that may impact our ability to deliver on the expected outcomes of the whirlwind.

The second horizon is where innovative ventures emerge from experimenting in the margins of the first horizon. Experimentation happens in the space that the whirlwind has allowed and the trust given to us to try something new. Tangible outcomes may be a few years away, and metrics for success may be unproven. People are often open to these ventures; however, trust is thin, and opposition may be waiting on the edges.

The language of “what if we tried” and “look at what is working over here” is a standard part of the conversation. Innovative ventures may exist on the fringes, and the connection to Horizon One is strong enough to carry trust forward.

Horizon 3 – The Preferred Future

This horizon is where the vision and strategic plan for the preferred future we are moving towards exists. Language is often more about the outcomes than the methods and usually begins with “imagine if we.“

In insolation, it seems unreachable, but the ability to achieve it with confidence will increase when it stays connected to the second horizon. These ideas fill whiteboards and butcher paper sheets when our teams gather and dream. Creating a link between the outcomes of the innovative ventures of the second horizon and this preferred future is a critical step toward success.

There is, however, minimal trust in the third horizon. In reality, there is likely even vocalized and actionable opposition.

But the horizons are never-ending. As our new innovative ventures become the engines that drive a new whirlwind, we begin to re-envision the preferred future. It is like the approaching distant horizon that we never reach.

But the key is keeping the horizons connected. In Start With Why, Simon Sinek shares an analogy about two stonemasons doing the same job. The first sees building a wall as monotonous and challenging and has no hope for completion. The second knows the end goal; they are building a cathedral, and he can see it unfolding. So, his daily grind is connected to the preferred future.

The second horizon is critical as it holds the opportunity to build trust, get runs on the scoreboard and ask people for a small trust deposit. It only requires a minor step of commitment and is far more reachable than the distance of the third horizon. Emphasis on the second horizon is how we lead change through strategic planning.

Horizons must be managed in parallel. We must keep a firm grip on today’s reality while we steer and navigate towards the future. You can’t discount the engine driving the current whirlwind, therefore fuelling trust.

So, how do you keep people connected to the journey?

Navigating change can feel like trying to steer a cruise liner with a paddle out the back – particularly when you have the authority and decision-making power to take over the bridge. Yet, this is the strength that the horizons can bring.

Understanding and implementing a horizons framework creates three opportunities to build that trust and keep our current reality connected to the preferred future.

Opportunity 1 – Incremental Change In The Direction Of A Preferred Future

By experimenting in the margin, we can use the engines that drive the whirlwind and fuel great trust to move into the second horizon. We keep the whirlwind operating while we try something new. As a result, the first step of commitment and confidence in innovating new processes is minor because there is no loss to what is already happening.

Opportunity 2 – It Clarifies The Next Step

Mapping out a vision for a preferred future that does not feel connected to the current reality can overwhelm people. How on earth are they going to eat the entire elephant? One bite at a time. The second horizon is the next step; it is always the first bite of something that feels unfathomable.

Opportunity 3 – Connects Their Day-To-Day To The Bigger Picture

We all need to feel that every brick we lay stays connected to the cathedral and not just a random wall. As Andy Stanley says, vision and the preferred future are like a bucket with holes in it – it leaks. Our teams need to have their vision bucket constantly filled so their everyday contribution feels connected to the bigger picture.

Photo by Diego Jimenez on Unsplash

Vision

Keeping Momentum When The Vision Seems So Far

Posted on January 16, 2024by Adam

Have you ever tried to complete a jigsaw puzzle without an image of the end product to guide you?

I have never found it relaxing to work on jigsaw puzzles during downtime – however, I’ve watched it happen many times. First, the corner pieces are found, followed by the edges, and the boundaries are determined. Colours are then grouped, and the front of the box is constantly referenced to determine what part they play in building the final picture.

Leading through change to reach a preferred and envisioned future is the same. Every piece of the puzzle needs to identify its place on the front of the box.

In Start With Why – Simon Sinek tells the story of two stonemasons. Picture walking up to the first, asking him, “Do you like your job?“. Then, from the dust and the dirt of his work, he looks up and replies, “I’ve been building this wall for as long as I can remember – the work is monotonous, in the scorching sun all day, and it is back-breaking work. It’s a job, it pays the bills.“

You find a second stonemason a few meters away and ask the same question. He replies with, “I love my job. I’m building a cathedral.” Same job, same work, same project – different outlook. The second stonemason can create a clear and direct connection between his daily work and the bigger picture. He knows the part he plays in building the cathedral.

Strategically leading through change requires creating a line of sight between what we put our hands on and what we are building. The front of that jigsaw puzzle box must be right in our vision.

Three things we can do that are in the control of anyone leading others:

Key 1: Create A Compelling Vision

When choosing a jigsaw puzzle, we reach for the box with the most compelling image on the front. There’s a reason why puzzles are not sold in plain brown boxes – the vision of completion is the most significant selling point. A jigsaw puzzle is also often connected to a memory, such as a location visited on a past vacation. Not only is the picture on the box attractive but so is the emotional attachment created from that memory. As leaders, we have the same opportunity about the preferred future we paint for those following.

How to keep a compelling vision in front of people:

Never stop talking about it. We don’t empty the pieces and put the box back in the cupboard while we compile it. It never leaves our sight. An avid jigsaw enthusiast will keep that image in front of them as they build, and we must do the same. Vision is like a bucket that leaks, so never stop filling it up. Take any opportunity to remind teams of the future ahead of them.
Give vision priority. Talking about it in team meetings is not just an agenda item; it is THE agenda item. When we practice this as leaders, our teams will follow, and that priority will cascade down throughout the organization we are leading.
Change the language. Our words are powerful, mainly when introducing new expressions attached to an envisioned future. However, a single word or phrase can trigger an emotional response and even cause us to dredge up a mindset locked to an ineffective strategy. Instead, attach freshness and excitement by introducing new phrases that speak to a compelling vision.

Key 2: Connect Today’s Work to Tomorrow’s Vision

Vision is like the edge pieces of a puzzle that define the boundaries that we work within. When we cluster pieces together, we can see its part in creating the bigger picture. If you’ve attempted a giant puzzle, you know the excitement and momentum that builds as you work out where each cluster fits. What we do each day needs to stay connected to the preferred future. We need to know how our contribution works towards seeing the cathedral’s completion.

The 4 Disciplines of Execution framework (McChesney, Huling, and Covey) uses the concept of lead activities and measures that impact and influence “wildly essential goals”. A lead measure connects individual achievements to the success and completion of organizational goals. The book presents an analogy of a baseball game to explain the principle. We all know that runs on the board win the game; however, it asks, “What causes a team to score runs?” A team needs fast runners, heavy hitters, minor strategic hitters, and other lead activities to score runs. Even the staff in the locker room that ensures that equipment is maintained can connect that task to scoring runs for the team – if the coach shows them the connection.

Key 3: Build A Scoreboard

Another principle from the The 4 Disciplines of Execution is a giant, bright, bold, and loud scoreboard. But unfortunately, we usually create a scoreboard for coaches, not players.

Coaches need to know all the statistics and measures. They want to know how many meters were gained, the statistics on errors and plays, and any data they can access.

Players, however, need to know two things – Are we winning or losing? How long is left in the game?

In the adrenaline-filled atmosphere of the game, a team needs to glance at a giant scoreboard and know precisely where they are. In the same way, the team we lead needs to understand how they are tracking towards the preferred future and how the jigsaw puzzle is taking shape. We don’t need to install scoreboards in our offices. Still, we can communicate the score in team meetings, stand-ups, emails, one-to-one conversations, and via carrier pigeon if necessary.

Photo by Mikael Kristenson on Unsplash