Moving Your Team Into the Future

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, it’s more important than ever for everyone to make strategic planning a priority.

If you don’t want your team and your business to get left behind, it is vital to understand that every leader and every team (from the top to the bottom of the organization) is responsible for thinking and acting strategically.

This is true within individual roles and responsibilities and when supporting the organization’s overarching strategy.

The experts at CMOE have extensive experience in corporate strategic planning, strategic leadership, and applied strategic thinking and it is our belief that strategy is everyone’s job.

Based on that experience, we’ve developed a range of strategic planning tools and programs that can help you develop strategic direction for yourself and your team so that you are never flying blind.

Here are just a few essential components we’ve identified that will help you move your team into the future.

Clear Goals

The most important foundation for a good team strategy vs only planning is having a clear and proactive strategic intent and specific priorities to pursue. Remember that identifying a strategic direction will be a turning point for you, your team, and for the business.

Defining your strategic intent is the key change that will help you and your team exploit opportunities and minimize threats you will face as the future unfolds. It is vitally important that you have clear goals.

Having a few, key strategic initiatives to work towards brings clarity and focus to your team’s efforts and allows you to begin the process of making strategy actionable on a day to day basis.

Writer Arnold H. Glasgow said, “In life, as in football, you won’t go far unless you know where the goalposts are.” Make sure these goals are realistic, inspiring and in line with the organization’s overarching strategy.

Great Communication

As with any team initiative, proper communication is essential, but is even more so when it comes to strategy.

When you’re working with your team to develop a strategic plan or direction, all team members need to see their part in making the goals a reality.

Your strategy will come to life as you utilize the unique perspectives and strategic management skills of all of your team members and engage them in thinking and operating with the future in mind. People crave direction, so be willing to take the time to help people see the what, how, and why of strategy.

When your team members know how their individual roles contribute to the good of the team, it unleashes discretionary performance and accountability for results.

Each and every member of your team is an important part of the machine that will either produce great or mediocre results, depending on how you communicate and work together.

Flexibility

While you can’t predict the future, you can definitely expect that you will face challenges and obstacles as you execute on your team’s strategy. The best thing you can do is be prepared for these unexpected challenges and not be caught off guard, ill-prepared to respond.

Strategic leaders have foresight and create a strategy that leaves room for flexibility and adaptation. Think through and discuss the scenarios that could unfold with your strategy.

Identifying potential roadblocks up front will help you and your entire team be prepared to act and continuously monitor signals that may indicate something has changed or isn’t working.

Your strategy will never be perfect so your team’s cohesion will have to be nimble and ready to shift according to the conditions.

Don’t let establishing longer term team direction intimidate or get the best of you. Visit our website or look into our professional publications to learn more about how our methods can help your team be prepared for the often rough and tumble business battlefield.

We have options that suit every type and size of business and our strategy development processes will give you and your team the valuable confidence, knowledge, and skills that help everyone understand critical strategic priorities and align strategic efforts throughout the organization.

CMOE has the right tools and programs for moving your team into the future and keeping your entire organization on the leading edge.