This document discusses tools for strategy implementation. It describes 7 tools: 1) creating a strategic change agenda, 2) selecting strategic objectives, 3) developing strategic objective statements, 4) selecting KPIs based on objectives, 5) building KPI cards, 6) identifying strategic initiatives, and 7) prioritizing and sequencing initiatives. The tools provide frameworks for turning strategic plans into action by setting objectives, metrics, initiatives and prioritizing initiatives.

1. STRATEGY
IMPLEMENTATION
TOOLS
RICHARD S. HISANZA
DISCUSSANT

2. A STRATEGY CAN BE BEAUTIFULLY AND
PAINSTAKINGLY DESIGNED. BUT IMPLEMENTING
STRATEGY IS, AS CONTINUED RESEARCH
SHOWS, A PERENNIAL CHALLENGE FOR MOST
ORGANIZATIONS – AND ONE THAT HAS
BECOME .

3. WHAT IS STRATEGY
IMPLEMENTATION?
STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IS THE PROCESS OF
TURNING PLANS INTO ACTION TO REACH A
DESIRED OUTCOME. ESSENTIALLY, IT'S THE ART OF
GETTING STUFF DONE. THE SUCCESS OF EVERY
ORGANIZATION RESTS ON ITS CAPACITY TO
IMPLEMENT DECISIONS AND EXECUTE KEY
PROCESSES EFFICIENTLY, EFFECTIVELY, AND

4. WHAT ARE STRATEGY
TOOLS?
STRATEGY TOOLS ARE FRAMEWORKS, TECHNIQUES,
AND METHODS THAT HELP INDIVIDUALS AND
ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE THEIR STRATEGIES –
IN OTHER WORDS, TO DETERMINE WHAT IS, WILL,
OR SHOULD BE DONE TO ADDRESS ISSUES CENTRAL
TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ORGANIZATION, USUALLY
BEYOND THE SHORT AND MEDIUM TERM.

5. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
TOOLS
TOOL 1: CREATING A STRATEGIC CHANGE AGENDA
• A STRATEGIC PLAN CAN BE LONG AND DETAILED. A ONE-PAGE
STRATEGIC CHANGE AGENDA ENABLES THE IDENTIFICATION OF
THE CRITICAL PERFORMANCE AREAS THAT MUST BE MASTERED IN
STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AGAINST FINANCIAL, CUSTOMER,
INTERNAL PROCESS AND LEARNING AND GROWTH PERSPECTIVES.
• AS USED SUCCESSFULLY BY ORGANIZATIONS, A STRATEGIC
CHANGE AGENDA IS A SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE FRAMEWORK TO
IDENTIFY AND ASSESS IS AND THE CURRENT STATE – “AS IS…”
AND TO PROJECT DESIRED FUTURE STATES – “TO BE…” FOR KEY
PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS SUCH AS CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP
MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE.

7. TOOL 2: SELECTING STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVES
•ORGANIZATIONS TYPICALLY STRUGGLE
TO IDENTIFY THE KEY STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVES THAT POPULATE THE
STRATEGY MAP OF THE BALANCED
SCORECARD SYSTEM, RESULTING IN
EITHER TOO MANY OBJECTIVES OR
OBJECTIVES THAT ARE TOO VAGUE FOR

8. TOOL 3: THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
STATEMENT
• A CHALLENGE WITH STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IS THAT THEY ARE
DESCRIBED IN A FEW WORDS, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GAIN
ORGANIZATION-WIDE AGREEMENT AS TO THE MEANING OF THE
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE, WHICH HAMPERS IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS.
• LEARN HOW TO SCOPE A STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE STATEMENT - A
SIMPLE TWO-PARAGRAPH EXPLANATION OF WHY THE OBJECTIVE IS
STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT AND THE KEY INTERVENTIONS REQUIRED
TO DELIVER THE OBJECTIVE.
• ALSO LEARN HOW TO WEAVE THE STATEMENTS TOGETHER INTO ONE
SHORT DOCUMENT THAT BECOMES THE STRATEGY VALUE
NARRATIVE. INVALUABLE FOR STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION
PURPOSES THE VALUE NARRATIVE IS A SHORT, FOCUSED EXPLANATION

9. TOOL 4: SELECTING KPIS BASED ON THE
OBJECTIVE STATEMENT
• A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR ORGANIZATIONS
IS HOW TO IDENTIFY THE SELECT FEW,
STRATEGICALLY CRITICAL KPIS FOR
ASSESSING ORGANIZATIONAL
PERFORMANCE TO THE STRATEGY.

10. TOOL 5: BUILDING A KPI CARD
• ORGANIZATIONS TYPICALLY STRUGGLE TO “MANAGE”
KPIS ONCE SELECTED – CLEARLY EXPLAINING HOW
SUCCESS THE KPI WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED
PERFORMANCE, AND HOW THE DATA IS COLLECTED
AND REPORTED.
• A KPI CARD IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR STEERING
ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THE HURDLES OF
SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING KPIS. INCLUDED WITHIN

11. • · THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE STATEMENT
THAT THE KPI SUPPORTS.
• · KPI DESCRIPTION AND OWNERSHIP
• · DATA COLLECTION PROCESS
• · POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS THAT THE KPI
MIGHT TRIGGER
• · PROCESS FOR KPI ANALYSIS
• · WHO WILL RECEIVE THE KPI ANALYSIS KPI AND WHAT
THEY WILL DO WITH THAT INFORMATION.
• AS A DOCUMENTED PROCESS, THE KPI CARD ENSURES
CONSISTENT MANAGEMENT OF THE KPIS THROUGHOUT THE

12. TOOL 6: HOW TO IDENTIFY
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
• THIS TOOL PROVIDES A SIMPLE PROCESS FOR
IDENTIFYING THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT ARE
DEPLOYED TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN CURRENT
AND TARGETED KPI PERFORMANCE.
• ALSO LEARN HOW TO USE A STRATEGIC INITIATIVE
ALIGNMENT MAP TO ENSURE SELECTED STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES PROVIDE FULL COVERAGE OF THE
CAPABILITIES REQUIRED TO DELIVER TO THE

13. TOOL 7: PRIORITIZING AND SEQUENCING
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
• MANY CANDIDATE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES CAN BE
IDENTIFIED AND DUE TO FINANCIAL AND HUMAN
RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, NOT ALL STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED SIMULTANEOUSLY.
• OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES WITH SELECTING
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THROUGH A STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES PRIORITIZATION PROCESS USING A
WEIGHTED ASSESSMENT MODEL.
• ALSO LEARN HOW TO SEQUENCE STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES TO MAXIMIZE STRATEGIC IMPACT AND