Strategy implementation management - Carrywater Framework for Executing Strategy

Challenge

Almost every organisation has a strategy. In some cases, however, it may prove difficult to be implemented effectively. The most common issues include limitation of resources that can be allocated to run strategic projects and the superficial nature of the documents that depict the strategy, which:

• does not include any guidelines for operational and project actions,
• defines the objectives improperly (i.e. in a non-measurable way, too ambitious or not enough ambitious, or failing to specify the assumed time frames or progress check points),
• is worded in a way that makes it incomprehensible to managers and employees, or does not take into account the reality or the culture of the organisation it is intended for.

Carrywater’s solution

Our proprietary method strategy execution management methodology, called Carrywater Framework for Executing Strategy (Carrywater FES) guarantees that the company’s strategic objectives shall be successfully achieved. According to its assumptions, an effective implementation of strategies is most heavily impacted by the effectiveness of management of projects, programmes or entire sets (portfolios) of strategic projects.

The Carrywater FES methodology lists the following steps as prerequisites for an effective strategy execution:

• Define the strategy precisely enough for the strategic objectives to be measurable
• Break down (decompose) the corporate strategy into the individual functional strategies and specify consistent common objectives in the functional areas
• Define, prioritise and select the strategic projects that shall eventually lead to implementing the organisation’s strategy or a selected functional area
• Monitor the execution of the strategic projects and prevent their being “forced out” of the roadmap by the current operational projects
• Keep measuring the progress of the strategic projects and the strategy as a whole.

Business value

The proposed Carrywater Framework for Executing Strategy ensures effective strategy implementation. In other words, it guarantees achieving the strategic objectives of the organisation within the expected time frames. Our Customer can be confident that the implementation of its strategy shall be split into strategic projects with defined resources, timelines and progress metrics, and that a system shall be designed that shall be providing up-to-date information
on the accomplishment of the objectives.

Consequently, the organisation is not just the “owner” of the strategy but also makes sure that it is eventually implemented and that the effectiveness at which the individual objectives are attained is properly measured.

Deliverables

Depending on the scope agreed, our involvement usually produces the following deliverables

• Measurable definitions of strategic objectives
• Roadmap of projects and programmes
• Progress status reporting system