Business and Finance

Strategy is a strange word. It is treated like a gospel. Once it is put on paper, it needs to be revered, etched in stone.

Strategy may be all that. But that does not make it sustainable?

Most strategists usually jump headlong into full throttle execution, assuming that the gospel will lead to the holy trail. They do not feel the need to test it. Extensive rollout is planned without doing a pilot. And lessons in execution are learnt in ‘hindsight’ rather than during the process of execution.

Strategy is never ‘sustainable strategy’ unless it is backed by successful execution. Lessons learnt during the initial stages of execution should be used as inputs to alter/modify/overhaul strategy . Closing this loop is the only way for generating sustainable strategy which delivers long lasting business results.

Continue reading ‘Closing the Loop Between Strategy & Execution – Lessons From the Indian Retail Story’ »

No Uppercut, No Hook.

A simple message, communicated across the ranks; from the streets of Bhiwani, to the boxing rings of Mumbai. This simple message is the single most important reason for Indian boxers coming to fore in the Beijing Olympics.

The shortest distance to land a punch is to go straight. It is also the easiest way to score a clear punch & register a point. When the Indian Boxing Federation realized that, they executed this strategy ruthlessly by banning uppercuts & hooks. A penalty was imposed on any boxer who tried an uppercut or a hook.

Continue reading ‘Simple Message Drive Great Strategy Execution – Example of India's Lone Boxing Medal’ »

Often during the process of strategy execution, the implementers start getting early feedback that the strategy is way off the mark. This feedback comes from the front lines : from employees, customers, suppliers, associates.

Given a bad strategy, a great execution will only speed up a business failure. What the implementers need is a mandate or a license to kill bad strategy without wasting precious resources and time. However there are reasons why a bad strategy is never shot down before it is too late .

1. Implementation is done by the lowly grunts or junior level managers and there is no process through which the ‘grunts’ or ‘hands and legs’ can communicate their feedback. Even if there are means to relay feedback , the feedback does not have the necessary credibility.

Continue reading ‘The Licence to to Kill a Bad Strategy’ »