| Once again, thanks to consulting firms, business | | | | One of the more recent studies by Digineer (a USA |
| gurus, experts or whatever they call themselves | | | | Minnesota based firm) conducted by Pat Salaski |
| today have reported my death. And having been | | | | validates my earlier statements as to the why of |
| around since the beginning when man engaged man, I | | | | failed execution. In this research the blame rests far |
| can tell you, I am very much alive and for some | | | | more on people than on actual strategy by these |
| even thriving. | | | | statistics: |
| In a recent Wall Street Journal online article, strategy | | | | - 69% lack of confidence by leaders |
| as many know it was declared dead by a top | | | | - 66% past habits |
| consulting company recognized for its business guru | | | | - 64% company culture |
| expertise. Of course I do not have their billions dollars | | | | - 52% senior management |
| in billing, but maybe the recent decline in their | | | | - 50% CEO/President |
| revenues is why they are calling for and promoting | | | | - 46% middle management |
| my death. | | | | This data suggests a multi-dimensional approach is |
| Part of the reason for these premature | | | | required to secure flawless execution. By just |
| announcements of my death is because all of these | | | | focusing on one area without understanding its |
| so called top consulting experts have failed to | | | | impact and alignment to other areas is in all honesty |
| understand how I was born. My lineage came from a | | | | quite illogical and for those who prefer common |
| general who wanted to deceive his enemies. In the | | | | sense words just plain dumb. Yet for those high |
| 21st business world for those experts who may help | | | | priced and top consultants, they make far more |
| with this translation it means any business that | | | | money by being asked back time and time again |
| wishes to deceive its competitors. Now deceive | | | | instead of investing the time to truly understand the |
| probably also needs to be defined for "those who | | | | obstacles preventing the desired results from |
| cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat | | | | happening. |
| it." (Source: George Santayana) | | | | One simple observation I have made over the eons |
| The word deceive has Latin origins meaning to "take | | | | of time is If individuals (people) cannot achieve their |
| from." And in business is not one of the goals is to | | | | own personal goals how can the leadership of any |
| take from your competitors their customers, their | | | | organization expect them to secure organizational |
| profits, their ideas and their market share? I still | | | | goals? |
| enjoy educating people after all of these thousands | | | | When you boil it all down, strategy (that's me) is |
| of year. | | | | purposeful thinking whether you are an Army |
| When those who profess to be experts do not | | | | General, CEO, small business owner, sales manager or |
| understand the fundamentals of their expertise, does | | | | independent sales professional. Yet to be successful |
| it not make sense why they are failing to secure the | | | | in achieving the desired future results be them short |
| desired results? So what do they do? Admit their | | | | term or long term does demand an investment in |
| mistakes or blame someone else as in this case me, | | | | scheduling time to revisit the current written plans |
| strategy? | | | | and being flexible to make those necessary course |
| From my continued reading of business journals, | | | | corrections. |
| books and even blogs (Yes, you can teach an old | | | | So if you hear of my death, then all I can suggest is |
| dog new tricks), it appears the inability to execute | | | | the person probably from one of those high price top |
| strategy has been the primary reason for the calling | | | | consulting firms making that pronouncement is |
| of my demise. Execution, according to everything I | | | | someone who truly never understood me to begin |
| have read specific to strategic planning, fails because | | | | with and unfortunately has billed thousands of dollars |
| of the people, rewards, processes or structure. I | | | | to trusting customers. For I, strategy, am alive and |
| recommend for the not so well informed to | | | | thriving especially for those organizations who have |
| extensively read Jay Galbraith's 5 Point Star Model | | | | jumped ahead of the flow such as Ford Motors and |
| specific to organizational development to avoid Mr. | | | | Apple to name just two. |
| Santayana's wise words. | | | | |