STRATEGY, PLANS & SMACKS IN THE FACE
Last week we won a prize at the 2Degrees Auckland Business Awards. It was for ‘Excellence in Strategy and Planning’. Great night all round - and fun to get on the stage.
But what is Strategy and Planning? It’s the thinking that happens in the background that most people don’t see. So here’s a bit more about our entry, what we do and how we do it. If anything feels useful, steal like a pirate.
Strategy is a plan to deliver on business purpose
Once you know where you’re aiming and why it matters, strategy shines light on how you make stuff happen. Good strategies are meaningful, memorable and measurable.
WHAT WE DO:
Our business is a service business, so our strategy wraps around our customer promise: Make it easy. Make it excellent. Make it fun.
Strategic pillars deliver on different elements
Different parts of a business deliver on the purpose in different ways. So you need different strategies that make sense to specific parts of the business. We call them strategic pillars.
WHAT WE DO:
The most important aspects of our business are people, profile, process and proof. So we have simple, clear strategies for each of these pillars.
Simple strategies feel obvious
People are busy getting things done – but most don’t think strategically. So strategy needs to be simple enough to guide decisions without people having to stop and think too hard.
WHAT WE DO:
We bring strategic pillars to life with simple slogans. Like “Right person. Right seat.” These catchphrases anchor the purpose of the strategy in everyday use.
Only things that get counted will count
Business is full of noise and positive intent. Strategy is about reducing the noise and focussing the positive intent. Humans need a scoreboard to know if they’re scoring goals.
WHAT WE DO:
We have two key metrics to measure each strategic pillar. That’s eight different numbers all up. And we pause every quarter to review success and identify ‘wins and work-ons’.
Every strategy is measured in money
Regardless of the what, why and how of any business, delivering on numbers is the proof of success. So it’s essential that every strategy delivers to the bottom line.
WHAT WE DO:
Our business makes money by selling people’s time. So we have simple 60/20/20 metrics. (60% People, 20% Overhead, 20% Profit). The business works when those metrics balance.
Smart strategies recognise tension
Every business has contradictions. Like the conflict of efficiency over quality. There are no ‘right’ answers. So highlighting tensions helps people make the ‘best’ decisions.
WHAT WE DO:
Our working process requires team collaboration and individual ownership at different points. So our ‘own it and share it’ process strategy highlights the how and when of both.
Strategies only work when you work with them
Strategies locked up in Powerpoint are just words. Useful strategies help guide decisions on the daily. So they need to feel simple and shareable to be part of the conversation.
WHAT WE DO:
Problem solving conversations work best when anchored in strategy. So we aim to sort the news from the noise and highlight the strategic missteps in tactical challenges.
Strategy and a smack in the face
Every business is exposed to disruptive forces and unplanned events. “Everyone has a plan ‘til they get punched in the face”. Strategy is the cotton wool for a blood nose.
WHAT WE DO:
We explore business challenges through the lens of strategy. If things don’t feel easy, the work’s not excellent or we're not having fun, there's gotta be a better way to make money.
Strategy isn’t hard - It’s just habit
Developing a useful strategy isn’t hard. But it is hard work. It’s about hovering over the business with a clear mind, nudging the stuff that’s working and tinkering the stuff that’s not. Understanding where you’re going and finding the easiest way to get there.
But it’s not a ‘once-a-year at an offsite’ game. It’s an everyday in the trenches tool. Useful strategies bring clarity to confusion and make hard decisions feel obvious. They work best of all when they’re meaningful, memorable and measurable.
And the smartest strategies feel simplest of all. The stuff people do because ‘that’s just what we do’. If you boil it all down, strategy is the stuff you work out in the background so day-to-day activity delivers like it should.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
See our award entry here.
Dig into “MyHunch” here.
Or give us a call for a chat.