Everyone knows that it is important to take a step back from day-to-day operations, to understand the broader landscape and reset your direction; but that is sometimes easier said than done.
We use a tried-and-tested process which can help you to deconstruct your business problem, focus your creativity, devise and test a strategic hypothesis, understand your value chain and provide concrete operational output in the form of an enterprise backlog and associated collateral.
We can also support your board and senior executives as they execute the strategy, helping you towards a leaner way of managing at C Level.
We take a three phase approach to strategy development: Reflection, Ambition and Action. Using a combination of workshops, executive mentoring and board facilitation, we can help you to identify and deliver on your strategic goals.
In the reflection phase, we try to capture a shared understanding of the current state of your business.
Articulate, refine and build consensus around current business goals.
Identify the real flows of information, responsibility and accountability within your organisation.
Describe the processes by which the business derives its “value”. Identify what the business considers to be “value”.
What do your customers believe your brand promise is? Why do they believe this?
IP, Knowledge & Expertise
Identify centres of excellence, domain knowledge, technology and assets within your organization.
Understand competitive offerings, opportunities and threats, market share and revenue growth.
What does industry research suggest is happening in your sector? Does this reflect your own insights?
Risks, Issues & Threats
We collaboratively review the output of your reflection and identify “hot spots” of risk, other issues not enumerated and external threats.
Ambition is about creating a common set of goals, and understanding the shape of the organization and its offerings as the strategy is executed.
Growth & Exit
We help you to build consensus amongst the board and/or executive team around your revenue growth and exit targets on a three-horizons model.
New Product Development
Brainstorm and articulate product opportunities, channels and total accessible market. We help you to t-shirt size the R&D effort and marketing challenge with disruptive or evolutionary models.
Identify opportunities to extend or diversify service offerings and quantify revenue opportunities. Evaluate the impact of up-skilling or acquiring new delivery teams.
Quantify the opportunities presented by non-local markets (regional, national and international). Understand barriers to entry, risks and operational costs, including legal, regulatory and HR issues.
What sort of company do you want to be? What is your “internal brand”? How do you want your people to talk about the experience of working for your organization?
What is the ideal size and shape of your organization? What models are appropriate for frictionless communication and delivery. How do you evolve the structure as you grow and identify new roles and responsibilities.
What are your development and retention strategies? How do you ensure that the right person has the right responsibilities? How do you incentivise, assess and help your people to be more effective?
Action is about defining a programme of work at the board / executive level to execute the strategy. We look at practical steps you can take to focus the executive on strategic activities, track progress and involve the whole organization as appropriate.
Capture, prioritize and define success criteria for strategic activities to be delivered by the board and executive team.
Enterprise Backlog Shaping
Define a high-level timeline of strategic milestones, activities and their dependencies. Establish a process for review and evolution of the roadmap.
Reporting & Monitoring
Determine the minimum effective reporting regime. Establish techniques such as RAG status, KPIs, RAID logs, strategic kanban and executive stand-ups.
Establish a regular routine for communication and feedback throughout the organization and externally to partners, customers and other stakeholders.
Help to establish good practices at board level by using an external facilitator to challenge, focus and stimulate strategic discussion.
Business Case Development
Agree the need, benefits and success criteria for any strategic activities. Identify resources, costs, impact and risks/mitigation. Establish a standard format for presentation to decision makers.