Turn your strategy into success

Get rid of your strategy tourists and turn your strategy into success

Let me start by assuring you, the chances that you are a strategy tourist are close to zero. You are proving you are interested in getting things done by reading this action-oriented resource (Unless, of course, you have mistaken this for something completely different). But I’m sure you do know a strategy tourist. Most likely you know plenty of them, since strategy tourists – those managers who lack the motivation, skills and knowledge to turn a strategy into performance – can be found in abundance in most organisations. They are easily recognisable by the following characteristics:

  • They love big words to make themselves sound more important
  • Their power drive is much larger than their achievements drive
  • They use expensive consultants for everything they do
  • They like to restart a new strategy exercise every year as while it’s hard to define a strategy, it’s even harder to stick to it rigorously and take time to move forward
  • And yes, they are somewhat lazy

Strategy tourist

I call the opposite of a strategy tourist, a Strategy Execution hero. An individual dedicated to performance and to getting things done. You can find them in all disciplines but they do share the same competences, traits and beliefs. I’m sure you also know some.

Your company is a 5-star resort for strategy tourists

How to turn your company into a holiday retreat for strategy tourists:

  • You launch a new strategy exercise every six months
  • You simulate power play
  • You don’t punish low performance
  • Your promotion policy is based on “who knows who”
  • You put everyone in a silo and clearly communicate that everyone outside the silo is considered less valuable and not worth talking to

The solution

Superman on a “Strategy rescue” mission. Superman, otherwise knows as Clark Kent, flies into the Magnatexx office. Instead of his usual red cape, he has decided to wear his three-piece, grey pinstriped, Armani suit. “It just seems more appropriate” he had thought while getting ready that morning. Superman is reacting to a “failing strategy” distress call from 53-year-old Mike, CEO of Magnatexx, a large pharmaceutical company. It was the 267th call he had received in the two weeks since starting his new sideline – the “Strategy rescue” programme.

When he arrives at Magnatexx, Superman immediately identifies the execution issues and takes over the role of all managers. In no time at all, Magnatexx obtains the desired competitive advantage and performance starts to peak. And everyone lives happily ever after.

Take on the challenge: start today!

This story seems too good to be true. And it is. But you don’t have to be able to fly like Superman, scale walls like Batman, or become green and super strong like the Incredible Hulk to turn a great strategy into great performance. You need performance-driven managers who master strategy execution.

Where to start? International research shows that these 6 capabilities are crucial to implement a strategy. Take on the challenge, develop your capabilities and become a strategy execution hero!

Challenge #1 Aim

Challenge #2 Communicate

Challenge #3 Coach

Challenge #4 Simplify

Challenge #5 Initiate

Challenge #6 Develop

The full text of this resource is available for you, click “Download” below to get a pdf version. 

Get rid of your strategy tourists and turn your strategy into success

Get rid of your strategy tourists and turn your strategy into success

Crucial capabilities needed to implement a strategy. Practical advice on how identify execution issues and achieve competitive advantage and great performance.

Download File

About the author

Jeroen De Flander is one of the world’s most influential thinkers on strategy execution and a highly regarded keynote speaker. He has shared the stage with prominent thinkers like Michael Porter, Costas Markides, Roger Martin, Robert Kaplan & David Norton and helped more than 23,500 managers in 35+ countries master the necessary execution skills.

His first book Strategy Execution Heroes reached the Amazon bestseller list in 5 countries and was nominated for Management Book of the Year 2012 in the Netherlands. His second book, The Execution Shortcut, reached the #3 spot in its category on Amazon.

Jeroen is co-founder of the performance factory – a leading research, training, and advisory firm focused solely on helping individuals and organizations increase performance through best-in-class strategy execution.

He has worked with several business schools including London Business School, IMD, Vlerick, Solvay, and Tias. For several years, he was the responsible manager worldwide of the Balanced Scorecard product line for Arthur D. Little, a leading strategy consulting firm.

He has advised 75+ companies including Atos Worldline, AXA, Bridgestone, Brussels Airport, CEMEX, Credit Suisse, GDFSUEZ, Honda, ING, Johnson & Johnson, Komatsu, Nike and Sony on various strategy and strategy execution topics.