The document discusses challenges with strategic execution and proposes leveraging agile principles to address them. It outlines problems like long planning cycles, assumptions, and inability to respond to changes. The presentation then introduces a model for aligning an organization around continuous learning and value delivery. Key aspects include managing decisions, measuring assumptions, and governing the flow of work to validate strategies through rapid delivery of solutions.

1. ASSUMPTIONS AND
AMBIGUITY BE DAMNED

2. 2
DENNIS STEVENS
dennis@leadingagile.com
770-851-8025
www.leadingagile.com
twitter.com/dennisstevens
facebook.com/leadingagile
linkedin.com/in/dennisstevens/

3. 3
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4. 4
WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT
THE PROBLEM THE MODEL THE APPROACH

5. 5
HOW TO LEVERAGE AGILE TO
IMPROVE STRATEGIC EXECUTION
W HAT MAKE S I T HARD TO E X E CUTE YO UR S TRATE G Y

6. 6
THE EXECUTION PROBLEM
S T R AT E G I C F O R M U L AT I O N I S H AR D AN D I T N E E D S TO B E R I G H T:
• Long Planning Cycles
• Long Term Delivery Commitments
• Lots of upfront planning
• Rampant Assumptions

7. 7
THE EXECUTION PROBLEM
S T R AT E G I C F O R M U L AT I O N I S H AR D AN D I T N E E D S TO B E R I G H T :
• Long Planning Cycles
• Long Term Delivery Commitments
• Lots of upfront planning
• Rampant Assumptions
B U T I T ’ S I M P O S S I B L E TO G E T R I G H T:
• Missed Requirements & Rework
• Misunderstood and Changing Stakeholder Requirements
• Mis-aligned Product Fit
• Strategy Not Aligned to Delivery
• Under Estimation for Operations

8. 8
THE EXECUTION PROBLEM
S T R AT E G I C F O R M U L AT I O N I S H AR D AN D I T N E E D S TO B E R I G H T:
• Long Planning Cycles
• Long Term Delivery Commitments
• Lots of upfront planning
• Rampant Assumptions
B U T I T ’ S I M P O S S I B L E TO G E T R I G H T:
• Missed Requirements & Rework
• Misunderstood and Changing Stakeholder Requirements
• Mis-aligned Product Fit
• Strategy Not Aligned to Delivery
• Under Estimation for Operations
I T R E S U LT S I N P O O R
P E R F O R M AN C E :
• Cost Overruns
• Workforce Fatigue & Moral Issues
• Long Lead Times
• Delays in Value Delivery

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WHY IS IT SO HARD?
E N V I R O N M E N T A L
S C A N N I N G
M A R K E T S A N D
C U S T O M E R S
S T R A T E G Y
F O R M U L A T I O N
C U S T O M E R P R O B L E M
S O L U T I O N
S T R A T E G Y E X E C U T I O N
S O L U T I O N D E S I G N A N D
I M P L E M E N T
The pace of technology and
communication means
markets shift faster than
ever before so your scans
are not current by the time
you execute
Customers have more
choices and lower barriers
to switch than ever before
so your solutions are not
defensible against
competition
Our system of delivery is
optimized for productivity
resulting in the inability to
effectively respond to
change

10. 10
WHAT IF…
You were effective at
sensing, predicting, and
creating changes in market
conditions
You could rapidly identify
solutions to problems
you’re the customers you
wanted were interested in
buying from you
Your system of delivery
was able to validate
assumptions, rapidly create
learnings, and effectively
respond to changing
market and customer
conditions within
constraints
E N V I R O N M E N T A L
S C A N N I N G
M A R K E T S A N D
C U S T O M E R S
S T R A T E G Y
F O R M U L A T I O N
C U S T O M E R P R O B L E M
S O L U T I O N
S T R A T E G Y E X E C U T I O N
S O L U T I O N D E S I G N A N D
I M P L E M E N T

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The only viable strategy
is to become the kind of business that can operate
with agility

12. STRATEGIC
EXECUTION
SUCCESS

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Explicitly manage the
flow of decisions
Align your organization
around value
Continuously measure
and manage
assumptions

14. A L I G N T H E
O R G A N I Z A T I O N
W I T H V A L U E

15. 15
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
I M P L E M E N
T

16. 16
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
I M P L E M E N
T
S T R AT E G Y E X E C U T I O N

17. 17
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
I M P L E M E N
T
S T R AT E G Y E X E C U T I O N
I N I T I A T I V E
I N I T I A T I V E
I N I T I A T I V E
P R O J E C T 1
P R O J E C T 2 P R O J E C T 2
P R O J E C T 3
P R O J E C T 1
P R O J E C T 3

18. 18
Value Propositions tied to customer segments
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
E X E C U T I O
N
S T R AT E G Y E X E C U T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
SHARED
SERVICES

19. C O N T I N U O U S L Y
M E A S U R E A N D
M A N A G E
A S S U M P T I O N S

20. 20
Measurable outcomes are created to explicitly govern learning
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
E X E C U T I O
N
S T R AT E G Y E X E C U T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
SHARED
SERVICES
O R D E R

21. 21
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
E X E C U T I O
N
S T R AT E G Y E X E C U T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
SHARED
SERVICES
A S S U M P T I O N S
L E A R N I N G S

22. E X P L I C I T L Y
M A N A G E T H E F L O W
O F V A L U E A N D
L E A R N I N G

23. 23
DECISION
DECISION
DECISION
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
E X E C U T I O
N
S T R AT E G Y E X E C U T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
SHARED
SERVICES
A S S U M P T I O N S
L E A R N I N G S
DECISION

24. 24
DECISION
DECISION
DECISION
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
E X E C U T I O
N
S T R AT E G Y E X E C U T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
SHARED
SERVICES
A S S U M P T I O N S
L E A R N I N G S
DECISION
T R A D E O F F
D E C I S I O N S
CONSTRAINTS

25. 25
M A R K E T
S
C U S T O M E R
S
P R O B L E M
S
S O L U T I O N S D E S I G N
E X E C U T I O
N
S T R AT E G Y E X E C U T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
C A P A B I L I T Y
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
V A L U E P R O P O S I T I O N
SHARED
SERVICES
A S S U M P T I O N S
L E A R N I N G S
T R A D E O F F
D E C I S I O N S
CONSTRAINTS
S T R A T E G Y
O K R O K R O K R A C
P O R T F O L I O P R O G R A M D E L I V E R Y

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27. WHAT DO YOU DO?

28. 28
KEYS TO SUCCESS-GOVERNANCE
01
02
03
Applies lean approaches to the flow of value copy
Creates opportunities for feedback, learning, and trade-offs
Integrates compliance concerns with minimal impact on flow

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INTIAL END-STATE VISION
Clearly define the rules of the game in a governance model – while
focusing on making decisions flow
Pick a slice of your
organization (a product,
value stream or capability).
• Take a look at where and
when decisions are made
• Are the right people in
the room with the right
information at the right
time
Using the framework
identify when certain
decisions should be made
and who should be
involved
• Identify where you are
stuck with early
assumptions
• Lack of agency
• Lack of adaptability
Define how you will
measure the success of
your execution and how
you will validate
assumptions
• Portfolio OKR’s
• Product OKR’s
• Delivery AC

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FINAL THOUGHTS
W HAT ARE THE TO P TW O THI NG S S TANDI NG I N YO UR WAY TO
LE V E RAG I NG AG I LE TO I MP RO V E S TRATE G I C E X E CUTI O N?
W HO W O ULD YO U HAV E TO E NLI S T I N YO UR
ORGANIZ ATI ON TO MAKE THIS W ORK?
W HAT CAN YO U DO TO O V E RCO ME THO S E O BS TACLE S
TO DAY?

31. 31
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