A Framework for

Aligning Strategy and

Execution

Joe Czarnecki, VP Product and Sales Support

IPS Learning

1 | IPSConfidential
IPS Learning Learning Confidential | Copyright
– Copyright © 2015
© 2015 IPS IPS Learning,
Learning, LLC LLC
 What CEO’s are Thinking

Company not focused on executing

strategy

Trouble Implementing Company not aligned behind their

Strategy strategies

Strategies ask people to work on too

many & conflicting priorities

Strategy-Execution Gap, Strategy& (formerly Booz & Company, now part of the PwC network), May 2014

2 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 Even Good Strategies Fail

Strategic Initiatives have

been successful

Lessons from
the Excellent on successful
execution
C-Suite…

Struggle to bridge strategy-

execution gap

The Economist Intelligence Unit, March 2013

3 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 What are your strategic challenges?

 Alignment between strategy and  Failure to accurately predict results in

execution unclear scope creep
 Impact of organizational dynamics  Risks not well understood
are misunderstood or ignored  Lack of resources, people spread too
 Lack of aligned performance metrics thin
 Programs/projects extremely  Required skill sets don’t match
complex required needs
 Inconsistent processes on how to  Other organizational functions and
manage projects and programs members not on board
 Lack of clear agreements around  Difficult to manage without authority
interfaces and interdependencies over people who are on multiple
projects, not functional reports

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 Global CEO’s #1 quest is to
seek better alignment
between strategy, objectives
and organizational
capabilities

The Conference Board’s 2014 global CEO study

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 Objectives for Today
 Outline a framework for improving organizational alignment of
project-based work (PBW)
 Summarize the 6 critical business skills to enhance the PBW
Leader’s capabilities
 Take away actionable concepts to improve alignment strategy,
execution, and capabilities

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 Our Strategic Execution Journey

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 The Strategic Execution Framework (SEF)

Who are you?

What is the context?

Where are you going?

What needs creating?

How will we build it?

How will you operate?

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 Unpacking the SEF

Strategy Making

Strategy Execution

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 What’s Your External Environment?

Health Care
• Affordable Healthcare Act
• Improve care effectiveness
and drive down administrative
costs

Financial Services
• Hyper competitive market
• New emerging technologies
• Faster time to market

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 Align the Strategy Making Domains
Do the Right Projects

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 The Ideation Domain
The reason the
organization exists

Character, image, What the organization is

brand, and values dedicated to in the long term

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 Xerox’s Ideation, 1981

“Xerox perceived itself as only in the office copier business.”

— Malcolm Gladwell

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 Ideation

Google’s mission is
to organize the
world’s information
and make it
universally
accessible and useful

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 The Nature Domain
The artifacts, core values, and
behaviors of the organization

How an organization The path an organization designs

designs relationships to achieve its purpose and goals
between areas or functions
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 Misaligned Ideation, Culture and Strategy

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 Four Core Cultures
Every organization has a predominant culture
and usually has subordinate cultures.

Collaboration Control

Collaboration Control

Cultivation
Cultivation Competence
Competence

Source: Schneider, William E. The Reengineering Alternative: A Plan for Making Your Current
Culture Work. Burr Ridge, IL: Irwin Professional Pub., 1994.

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 Your Culture Maps
Draw a culture map for: Collaboration Control
 Your Organization (red) 5

 Your Team (green) 4

3
5
4
2
3
1 2

1
1
2
1 3
2 4
3 5
4

Cultivation Competence

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 The Vision Domain
The determination of
specific desired results

The path an organization The vehicle to evaluate

designs to achieve its progress to the achievement
purpose and goals of strategic goals
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 The Measurement Conundrum

Tell me how you measure me and I will tell you how I behave.
— Eliyahu Goldratt

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 The Engagement Domain
The path an organization designs to
achieve its purpose and goals

Strategy based, prioritized set of projects and programs,

reconciled to the resources required to accomplish them

21 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 Clear Strategic Vision: SW Airlines

Source: Porter, Michael. "What is Strategy?" Harvard Business Review HBR OnPoint Enhanced Edition, Product Number: 4134 (February 1, 2000).

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 Strategy Execution Mapping

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 The Synthesis Domain
Strategy-based, prioritized set of projects and
programs, reconciled to the resources
required to accomplish them

Multiple interdependent projects Unique, temporary efforts

managed as a single unit defined by deliverables,
schedule, and resources
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 Culture and Today’s Work Approaches
Collaboration Control

Collaboration Control

Cultivation Competence

25 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 Balancing Plan-Driven & Agile Approaches

Source: Barry Boehm and Richard Turner. Balancing Agility and Discipline: A Guide for the Perplexed. Addison Wesley. 2004.

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27 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC
 The Transition Domain
Multiple interdependent Unique, temporary efforts
projects managed as a defined by deliverables,
single unit schedule, and resources

The ongoing processes of the

enterprise that deliver value
to the customer

28 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 IKEA in China

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 What Works Well
Not Perfect Yet

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 Where are your Strengths and Opportunities?

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 Imperatives of Strategic Execution

I N V E S T

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 Imperatives of Strategic Execution

Know who you are, why you exist and where you
I deation are going

N ature Align your strategy, structure and culture

Continually rearticulate and quantify your desired

Vision outcomes

Engagement projects to achieve current strategic outcomes

Continually reinvest in the right portfolio of strategic

Synthesis Execute your strategic projects balancing appropriate

levels of PM 1.0 (discipline) vs. PM 2.0 (agility)

Transition Transition your projects’ benefits into operations, and

reinvest the project resources

33 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 The Stanford Research Shows…
As a PBW Leader – you will be called to…

Lead
Convert Strategy Lead Change
ORGANIZATIONAL into Action from the Middle
for Strategic
Execution
STRATEGY & EXECUTION

Master the Project

PORTFOLIO Portfolio

Strategic Execution Mastery

Manage without Execute Complex Innovate through
Authority Programs Design Thinking
PROGRAM &
PROJECTS
Master the Leverage
Lead Effective
Finances on the Customer
Teams
Projects Relationship

Exhibit Project
MECHANICS/
Management
EXECUTION Mastery
TACTICS

Integration Scope Time Cost Quality

AFTER MASTERING
THE FUNDAMENTALS
HR Communications Risk Procurement Stakeholders

34 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 The 6 Critical Meta-Skills

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 Given the SEF and the six Meta-
Skills we can address the Global
CEO’s #1 quest to seek better
alignment between strategy,
objectives and organizational
capabilities.

38 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 Questions
and
Additional
Discussion

39 | IPS Learning Confidential – Copyright © 2015 IPS Learning, LLC

 My
Picture
Thank you!

 Joe Czarnecki
– ipslearning.com
– esi-intl.com
– apm.stanford.edu
– Email: jczarnecki@ipslearning.com
– Twitter: @ipslearning
– Connect with me on LinkedIn!

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