Dansk
In our work, we meet many people who talk about and work with strategy. Our experience is that strategy is like religion. There are many opinions and views on which strategy books, models, theories and tools to use in order to say that we have a "real" strategy.
For us, however, it is not so important WHAT you believe in - what matters is that you manage to CONCEAL and TRANSLATE what you believe in into concrete activities that need to be carried out to get to the goal you have set yourself.
That's why we've put together some inspiration below for you when choosing your next strategy tool.
What is your wish and need for a concrete output? Be very precise in what you want from the output and how the output should and can be used.
How do you ensure that the nose is kept on track and time is used correctly? Strategy work has many elements and you can easily jump a little to the right and then a little to the left, with the result that there is a lot of wasted time, focus is lost and too much time is spent constantly gathering consensus over and over again.
How do you ensure coherence between the different strategic models? Virtually all strategic theories and models have been developed as stand-alone models. It is crucial for success that they are all tied together into a coordinated plan - otherwise people in the company will pull in different directions.
How do you take into account both existing material/knowledge and new material/knowledge? Working on strategy is extensive and many companies face challenges in relation to knowledge sharing and in addition many companies start from scratch every time the strategy needs to be updated. But this is certainly not necessary. There is gold hidden in the old materials and DNA. It's about taking the best of the old and the new. Retain the bedrock and constantly evolve the business around it.
How do you ensure important strategic choices? A sharp strategy is focused. Focused means that the hard strategic choices have been made. To do this, the company needs a solid decision-making base so that it does not falter later.
How do you ensure documentation? We live in a time where transparency and traceability are important. We need to be able to explain why we do what we do - to owners, banks and employees alike. It is also important that documentation does not take the focus away from progress - there needs to be a balance.
How do you get relevant people involved? Strategy is no longer just for top management. Relevant employees, customers, suppliers etc. should be involved along the way and not only when the strategy is to be executed.
How do you minimise personal dependency and retain knowledge within the company? Too many companies rely on individuals. This means that important knowledge often disappears with the bathwater. That's why it's important to have a tool that minimises this challenge.
What is the track record of the strategy tool? One thing is theory, another is practice. Therefore, we always recommend that, in addition to assessing the theoretical foundation, you also look at what practical experience the tool is based on.
How are corrections and consequential corrections made? Everything around us is changing at lightning speed, so it's important to be able to adapt your strategy accordingly.
And finally, what references exist? The best guarantee is always satisfied customers. So find some references and call them.
It really took off with MakeMyStrategy - I highly recommend taking the system in
Kjeld Bagger
Owner and Director