Culture eats Strategy for Breakfast....
I love this quote by Peter Drucker and as a strategy graduate and HR Practioner I haven't found a statement so true and yet so ironical. Amidst the heated debate for strategy I am well aware that if the environment of an organization does not give it the due space to implement; strategy dies a very painful death.
So what are the cues that allow us to identify the possibility during its planning stages
1. Strategy is not driven by the top- What does it mean; This categorically means that despite the conviction or the thought of conviction at all levels in the organization; there is no one person driving it. It is a collective responsibility and yet nobody is accountable. Please do not confuse my statement as against team spirit but I genuinely believe leadership has to be a one person agenda.
2. Cynicism- Now it is simply impossible to get rid of cynics or answer all or even pacify all doubts during the planning sessions. To quote Alan Lakein," Planning means to bring the future into the present so that you can do something about it now." Hence there is only so much you can foresee. However what is more important from my perspective is the conviction that what ever is being proposed is doable. I have been witness to acceptance and total denial later.
3. Trust- Now an often used term which refers to conviction, faith, belief,etc in the strictest of sense. However I believe it more relates to the comfort level of people to speak out their minds. If people are trusting they speak more, participate more and actually are more involved. If not, then there is a need to relook.
When it comes to strategy, sometimes the simplest possible thing to do is plan and implement. Waiting to get everyone on board is going to be difficult. Normally people will align themselves as they see results. However its slightly different with culture, with culture you have to make people follow it- without an option. Be specific, be fair and be explicit.
So what are the cues that allow us to identify the possibility during its planning stages
1. Strategy is not driven by the top- What does it mean; This categorically means that despite the conviction or the thought of conviction at all levels in the organization; there is no one person driving it. It is a collective responsibility and yet nobody is accountable. Please do not confuse my statement as against team spirit but I genuinely believe leadership has to be a one person agenda.
2. Cynicism- Now it is simply impossible to get rid of cynics or answer all or even pacify all doubts during the planning sessions. To quote Alan Lakein," Planning means to bring the future into the present so that you can do something about it now." Hence there is only so much you can foresee. However what is more important from my perspective is the conviction that what ever is being proposed is doable. I have been witness to acceptance and total denial later.
3. Trust- Now an often used term which refers to conviction, faith, belief,etc in the strictest of sense. However I believe it more relates to the comfort level of people to speak out their minds. If people are trusting they speak more, participate more and actually are more involved. If not, then there is a need to relook.
When it comes to strategy, sometimes the simplest possible thing to do is plan and implement. Waiting to get everyone on board is going to be difficult. Normally people will align themselves as they see results. However its slightly different with culture, with culture you have to make people follow it- without an option. Be specific, be fair and be explicit.
excellent...very true
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