“Five Steps to Build a Winning Strategy.”
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The document outlines Mark Affleck's "Five Steps to Build a Winning Strategy": 1. Crystallize the organization's identity and vision for the future. 2. Identify and prioritize key issues and challenges facing the organization. 3. Determine bold strategic imperatives that must be accomplished to achieve the vision. 4. Break the strategic plan into actionable increments with clear accountability. 5. Ensure the strategy is propelled by an inspiring core distinctive that differentiates the organization.
“Five Steps to Build a Winning Strategy.”
- 1. 5 Mark Affleck Steps to Build a Winning Strategy February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 1
- 2. Internet Headlines Scream! “5 Easy Steps for this . . . ” “10 Secrets to that . . . ” All day every day internet headlines stream across our screen with a beckoning allure. All of them offering to produce great results in a “few easy steps.” That begs this question: Do these “lists” really work? Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 2
- 3. The “Easy-Steps” List That’s the question… Can the “Easy Steps” approach be successfully applied to the complexities of developing STRATEGY for an organization or managing a career in this tumultuous “ChangeAge”? Maybe not…but, WAIT! CONSIDER THIS: These lists are NOT designed to “answer everything” and “solve your problems.” They are designed to make us Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 3
- 4. Not only does the “Easy-Step” approach make us think, it makes us challenge our most cherished assumptions, too. It makes us explore by drilling down beyond our comfort level to where the confrontation with reality awaits. As a CEO Leader and Strategist for 25 years, I’ve been considering how the “easy steps” method could be used to convey the essence of strategy. What follows are my: “Five Steps to Build a Winning Strategy.” Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 4
- 5. THE GOAL The goal behind using the “Easy Steps” approach for developing strategy is NOT to tell the entire story about strategy. The goal is to prompt you to think, challenge, and explore. To start, here’s the first question: Do you have a strategy? 1 2 3 4 5 Detail for each of the five filters follows on the pages ahead. Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 5
- 6. I DENTITY 1 Do you know who you are and where you’ve been? Even more important, do you know WHERE YOU’RE HEADED? Those questions MUST be answered before anything else happens with your strategy. Structure ALWAYS follows Strategy. And Strategy is ALWAYS preceded by identifying the vision goal. The goal of Step 1 is to make sure your organization’s VISION END STATE is crystallized, accepted and embraced by the entire team. IS IT? Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 6
- 7. STEP #1 Crystallize the organization’s IDENTITY and vision end-state destination. I SSUES 2 The first step--IDENTITY--says a church must know where it has been and crystallize its Vision End-State Destination for the future. With that complete, the next task in Step 2 is to identify and prioritize the church’s KEY ISSUES and YELLOW CHAIRS. If an organization denies reality blinking on the radar, the risk of FALLING SHORT of its potential increases exponentially. Radar Strategies should never launch before investigating the organization’s KEY ISSUES and YELLOW CHAIRS. Almost always, there is too much emphasis placed in planning based on the past. Strategy is always about the FUTURE. Take a look at your radar screen now. Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 7
- 8. STEP #1 Crystallize the organization’s IDENTITY and vision end-state destination. STEP #2 Strategies should never be developed before identifying Key Issues and Yellow Chairs. I MPERATIVES 3 Yes…watching the radar screen is important, but it’s not enough by itself. There must also be an interruptive and strategic RESPONSE to the threats and opportunities blinking on the radar screen. That response isn’t a “good idea,” it’s IMPERATIVE. The organization’s Strategic Imperatives–no more than five—are the bold moves that must be made to reach the end-state vision destination. In healthy organizations, an “indomitability swagger” behind the Strategic Imperatives produces a powerful vibe permeating the team’s CULTURE COMPASS. It’s a sense that the team cannot be vanquished…an esprit de corps fire that cannot be doused. Identifying and completing Strategic Imperatives produces just that. Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 8
- 9. STEP #1 Crystallize the organization’s IDENTITY and vision end-state destination. STEP #2 Strategies should never be developed before identifying Key Issues and Yellow Chairs. STEP #3 Strategic IMPERATIVES are the bold moves that must be made to make the vision a reality. 4 INCREMENTALISM Successfully completing STEPS 1-3 will establish a STRONG BASE for developing an effective strategy. But it will fall apart without a swift and strong ACTION RESPONSE. And when it comes to taking action, many strategies fail because they are imprisoned by a GRAND VISION. Ambitious visions are essential, of course, but they often freeze teams behind this question: “Where do we start? ” The antidote to INACTION is to break the Strategic Frame into ACTION INCREMENTS. Everything must be turned into a project with a distinct beginning and end; clear milestones; and uncompromising individual and team accountability. Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 9
- 10. STEP #1 STEP #2 STEP #3 STEP #4 5 Crystallize the organization’s IDENTITY and vision end-state destination. Strategies should never be developed before identifying Key Issues and Yellow Chairs. Strategic IMPERATIVES are the bold moves that must be made to make the vision a reality. The antidote to inaction is to break the Strategic Frame into phases of Action INCREMENTS. I NSPIRATION Even if an organization successfully completes Steps 1-4 and begins to make incremental progress forward, the strategy won’t fully blast off without being propelled by INSPIRATION. This is a common place to stumble because every organization and every team is “competent.” Just ask them or visit their website. But we all know that’s not the measure of competence. Here’s why… Since competence is a mandatory fee for entry, organizations must have a CORE DISTINCTIVE that will differentiate them from others. In the end, the target audience has a CHOICE and that should prompt every leader to ask: What makes US Different? What makes US Distinctive? Will they choose US? Mark Affleck February 2014 http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 10
- 11. Are you inspiring? For more information… Call 949 351-4112 Or go to http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com CEO Change Leader Strategist Issues & Crisis Manager As CEO of YellowChair Strategy, Mark helps leaders transform their organizations to “survive today and win tomorrow.” Mark Affleck February 2014 MARK AFFLECK http://www.yellowchairstrategy.com 11