Station Three: Translate the Strategy How do we express our strategy to best compete in our chosen market?
Station Three impact question is the joint role and accountability of the offices of strategy and operations. Guided by the vision-mission-values statements from Station One, plus data analyses results and goal-objectives set from Station Two, the major task in Station Three is to translate the strategy into its discrete implementation functions and express it in ways that are usable and linkable to the market. Operations and other crosscutting functions come in to bring the implementation realities through the design of the strategy map, by setting strategic objectives, targets and indicators. All organisational functions and teams put their hands on the deck to be sure they draw and locate themselves on the strategy map, through strategic objectives, and in most cases through the targets and indicators that the organisation will be measuring. A well-facilitated process at this station ensures collaboration, inclusivity, and an embracive strategy map, comprehensively covering the specific areas everyone feels energised to own and defend during implementation of the strategy. This is the critical design station where an empowering strategy creates and ensures organisational performance buy-in through collaborative strategy Roadmapping. Specific results of this task are: one-page strategy map; agreement on market niche; and clarity on thematic directions on which the business units, departments, and product lines will operate. This task is strategy planning. It requires meticulous strategy mapping statements that precisely capture and express the strategy by indicating the themes or perspectives that will constitute the organisation’s business. Anything that is not on the strategy map is not in the strategy and no resources can be allocated to such unplanned initiatives. The strategy map prepares the organisation for competition, profitability or impact in its chosen area of business, and thus it is an expression of the whole organisational strategy. The strategic objectives are grouped into, and formulated from four strategic perspectives: Customer; Internal processes; Learning and Growth; and Financial perspectives. The strategic objectives to be developed under those four
perspectives or strategic themes attempt to clearly answer the following:
Customer: Who are they, and how will the organisation choose to face and serve its customers? Internal processes: What and how will we develop and deploy support systems for superior performance? Learning and Growth: What game changing levers will we employ to boost capabilities for performance? Financial: How do we develop and deploy funding resources to finance critical strategic business initiatives?
These strategic perspectives are the key themes that provide both the glue as well as a positive messaging platform. They are simple yet profound. Themes represent a logical grouping of key issues, priority areas and related strategic objectives. They bring more focus to the Strategy Map and help to clarify the strategic message. Themes also constitute a major organising structure for the cascading and alignment processes during strategy implementation, reporting, and measurement. In some respect, the themes are more representative of the evolving direction and culture of the new organisation... more of a mindset or a mental model if you like. They help glue the organisational strategy to all employees, customers, donors, and shareholders. They help explain the organisation brand to its market and serve to distinguish it from its competition. Clear strategic objectives accompanied by few measurable metrics engender increased accountability for strategy implementation. They reduce role confusion and overload by staff. They prioritise what gets done and gets measured in the organisation.
An aligned and succinct strategy map derives
from a well-articulated strategic intent statement which encompasses the vision-mission-values components. Elsewhere in this article, we offer a good example of a strategy map of The RedRoof Brands, a private sector Agribusiness company. Below we also quote the core values statement of the RedRoof Brands showing both the shorthand and a translated, explanatory statement that captures the essence of the strategy map being referred to.
We exist to create value and profits in our business through:
Excellent customer care Company financial health Brand reputation
Operational research Return on investment
We face and serve our customers Our business grows on people and money Our brand name is our best value proposition We create value through presence Research and measurement drive our business We invest effort and money to get profits
The RedRoof Brands Core Values statement, July 21, 2008
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