“If you want “management pygmies,” restrict your people to “small conversations.” On the other hand, if you want them to do extraordinary things – and if you want to raise your organization’s “strategic IQ,” invite them into the “big conversations.”
They’ll grow faster than you imagine – and they’ll contribute more than you expect!”
~Tony Manning
In last week’s blog post, I mentioned that I was facilitating a CPA Firm’s upcoming strategic planning Summit. During the Summit, members will be crafting the goals, priorities and activities that the Firm should focus on over the next 3 years to achieve their shared vision.
In preparation for the Summit, I’ve been gathering data, reviewing employee survey results and learning key insights from members of the Firm’s management team. The firm has many strengths. And it also faces some real tough challenges.
Crafting a solid strategy to capitalize on Firm strengths and opportunities and address Firm weaknesses and threats will be our priority. Focusing on putting action steps, timelines and accountability in place to execute the strategy will also be key.
But do the members of the Firm have “the winning spirit,” a critical element of strategy execution that Tony Manning describes in his great book, Making Sense of Strategy?
Great Strategy + Winning Spirit = Pitbulls
In fact, Manning sets up a wonderful visual description for the results that can occur when great strategy and a winning spirit combine or when one or both are missing. As you read these descriptions, imagine where your firm members fall:
No-Hopers: They either have no strategy or it’s not a great one and their spirit is weak.
Nerds: They apply their minds to creating a precise and detailed strategy but they don’t have the spirit to drive it. The lack of spirit shows up in a plan that fails to be executed.
Partygoers: They have lots of spirit but lack the solid strategy. They’re very busy but directionless, flapping around, going nowhere.
Pitbulls: They’re working with a solid strategy. They’re clear about where they’re headed and ferocious about getting there. They fix on the target identified in the strategy and go for it!
Manning states: “Competitiveness demands both a clear strategy and a winning spirit. You should naturally strive for a strategy that’s superior to anything your competitors may dream up. But even the best strategy in the world will have a short shelf life if it’s not driven by extraordinary human spirit. If your people aren’t passionate about your corporate quest, you’re unlikely to either get ahead or stay there.”
In short, we want a firm full of lots of "Pitbulls!"
Leadership is Key
The real measure of the Firm’s leadership will be in executing the solid strategy with a winning spirit. Firm leadership must harness the “Pitbulls” to relentlessly focus on the desired strategic objectives. Involving team members in developing the strategy is the first step.
In addition, Firm leaders must inspire and motivate members to stretch when they need to and to bounce back when they have a setback. They must share information, responsibility, power and accountability. Successful execution will come when members embrace the strategy and are totally committed to achieving the results.
What about your firm? When it comes to strategy execution, who dominates the attitude and culture of your firm? What do you do to unleash that “winning spirit” in your firm?
To your success,
Mary
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