“We had a well-defined strategy except it completely lost its essence during the execution phase”. Most senior managers have at least uttered this phrase more than once in their careers and just as many solutions have been offered by consultants on how to rectify the execution and/or value generation chasm. The recommendations often include better alignment between strategy and execution teams, strategies that are practical and realistic and so on

1. Strategy and Execution Chasm
“We had a well-defined strategy except it completely lost its essence during the
execution phase”. Most senior managers have at least uttered this phrase more than
once in their careers and just as many solutions have been offered by consultants on
how to rectify the execution and/or value generation chasm. The recommendations
often include better alignment between strategy and execution teams, strategies that
are practical and realistic and so on.
In this blog, I would like to take a different position on how to help close the
execution and value
generation chasm. I
will offer evidence that
this approach will work
better and its
implementation will not require disruptive change to your current organization structure.
I advocate that the strategy definition phase should not be concerned about implementation; the strategy
should be as aggressive as can be imagined. Instead of making early sub-optimizing choices, challenge
those to consider what is possible.
“July 1969. It’s a little over eight years since the flights of Gagarin and Shepard,
followed quickly by President Kennedy’s challenge to put a man on the moon before
the decade is out.” Did President Kennedy worry about execution challenges? No, he communicated
cause and effect and then challenged his country’s men and women with a stretch goal and instilled the
conviction that failure is not an option.
Similarly, we need strategies that clearly establish:

Why change is necessary? Just increasing shareholder value is not going to inspire anyone.

What must change and how change is linked to desired outcomes. This needs to be plausible. Putting
a man on the moon before the Soviets was important to America; a “Can-Do” psyche.

Clear accountability and responsibility at all levels. When President Kennedy asked a janitor in one of
the research labs what happens here during the day, the janitor answered without hesitation “We are
going to the moon Mr. President.” At least that is the story we have been told.
So what can we do in our own organization to help close these chasms? Consider the following:
© QR Systems Inc. 2013
www.qrs3E.com

2. 
Clearly establish the vision and mission that resonates with your key stakeholders that include
employees, customers and partners

Identify your current enterprise capabilities, their performance measures and metrics and link them to
your mission

Clearly communicate threats to your organization’s mission and get a consensus among stakeholders
of what must change to capitalize on the opportunities and convert threats to opportunities

Challenge people to go beyond their confines

Lead with human calculation, not with a political one (backing the Springboks, was a human
calculation)
There is no mathematical model that can help close these chasms but there is a human model that will
create the required consensus and support. Explicit and clear communication with transparency and
accountability can truly inspire people; I see it every time I teach a group about Enterprise Architecture.
After four days, I can see the inspiration in their eyes, yet defeat as they know they are going back the
same old grind without support from their leaders. We cannot afford the status quo; we need to do
something different. Some of our current challenges in healthcare, public education, and environment as
well in manufacturing, banking, insurance
are just too important to ignore.
So what are you going to do. I suggest
that you ask yourself a question – Is my
strategy clear and will it inspire
anyone?
About the Author:
Jason Uppal is a chief architect at QRS and can be reached at Jason.uppal@qrs3E.com
© QR Systems Inc. 2013
www.qrs3E.com