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MLI | Kompass-Leistungen

Strategy Implementation 
What does it mean?


Strategy Implementation refers to the practical realisation of strategic corporate goals within an organisation.

This includes identifying levers for success, allocating resources, defining responsibilities, implementing concrete actions and continuously monitoring progress. Effective strategy implementation ensures that the desired target state is actually achieved and the competitiveness of the company increases.

Anchoring the strategy in the success-critical moments of everyday work is crucial. Doing this will ensure that work is carried out in one direction at all levels and that the available resources are used effectively.

Attention is the bottleneck for successful Strategy Implementation


Never have people been as exposed to so many information impulses and mental distractions as they are today. In hectic everyday working life, priorities can quickly be lost. For successful strategy implementation or transformation, it is crucial to continually focus attention on the results that will bring the greatest strategic benefit. 

Leadership sprints ensure that all key people work on specific outcomes at the same time. In the sprint planning workshop lessons are learned from experiences, the future pathway to success is determined and an approach is coordinated. 


Facts show how difficult strategy implementation can be:

  • 9 out of 10 strategic initiatives do not meet the expectations placed on them.
  • More than 30% of all strategic programmes fail completely.

We asked more than 250 decision-makers:

Why does Strategy Implementation fail?*


  • Too much complexity - 72%: Participants are not clear of their specific contribution to the strategy’s overall success.
  • Poor communication - 63%: Top-down communication does not lead to an anchored understanding and inner commitment, managers become bottlenecks.
  • Conflicts of goals and interests - 38%: Too many misaligned priorities lead to confusion and dysfunction
  • Unclear roles - 30%: Cross-departmental collaboration requires clear rules and responsibilities.

*MLI survey 2018-2022; Multiple entries were possible

Leadership sprints give Strategy Implementation an effective stucture


With a wealth of experience from more than 100 transformation projects, we offer you tailor-made advice on strategy implementation. 

The MLI approach uses the experiential knowledge of those involved and group dynamic processes to achieve beneficial results more quickly than with conventional approaches. To do this, MLI combines scientific findings with the OKR (Objectives & Key Results) target framework – a tactic used by many successful companies including Intel, Google, Adobe and FlixBus. 

Quarterly iterations reduce complexity. The focus on measurable key results guarantees results-oriented implementation. Clearly structured formats such as planning workshops, monthly check-ins, reviews and retrospectives ensure effective communication. Misunderstandings and hurdles are anticipated, conflicts of goals and interests are made transparent and resolved constructively.  

Working on goals in cross-departmental mission-driven teams ensures role clarity and binding rules. 

MLI services for Strategy Implementation

Umsetzungs Analyse Icon

Implementation analysis of the existing organisation, leadership culture and strategic objectives. Identification of central activation points along the value chain.

Zielbild Icon

Development of eye-catching visualisation of the strategic roadmap – Change on the Page and Strategy on a Page

Strategiewerkstätten in Design Thinking Icon

Cross-departmental workshops that will solidify the activation points of a strategy. Design thinking principals will be used to create a representation of strategic value creation in the form of a customer and/or employee experience.

Leadership Sprints mit OKR Icon

The creation of organisational framework. Process moderation of a quarterly, agile approach to implementing important milestones with selected key people.'

Selbstführung Icon

Planning Workshops

 Planning Workshops 

Establish priorities, key results and responsibilities for the next sprint.

Netzwerk von Experten Icon

Refinement

 Detailed Planning 

The planning of essential actions that will achieve the key results.

Menschenführung Icon

Check-Ins

 Monthly Check-ins 

Monthly discussions on
the progress of
objectives and key results.

Teamführung Icon

Review & Retrospektive

Review
Review of the technical results - assessing impact and celebrating progress.

Retrospektive
Reflection on collaboration to optimise interaction within a team.

Strategy Implementation: What our customers say


In the last two years our company has more than tripled in size. An essential part of our growth was our collaboration with MLI. The structured approach with OKR was a real game changer for us as a management team.“
David Neuhaus, CEO SocialHub

David Neuhaus

The board member of a company commented on the leadership sprints as follows:
„Although we pursue ambitious goals and sometimes have tough discussions, I always leave the planning workshop feeling elated and encouraged.“ 


We want to give you this momentum when it comes to mastering the challenges of the times.


Take the agile strategy implementation test


Assess your success levers in agile strategy implementation.
Honestly rate on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely):

Please rate each statement on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely):

MLI - Agile strategy implementation works!


Development of a newly established B2C business

Sales future energy home

2017 to 2021

at our customer EON
in MIO. €

80
600
+750%
Project duration 4 Years

What makes Leadership sprints effective?


Managing complexity:


Starting from a common target goal, we think and work in a hypothesis-oriented manner. Manageable time periods ensure concentration, motivation and a positive sense of urgency. Complex strategic projects are implemented measurably faster than with conventional programme management methods.


Alignment with value creation and concrete outcomes:


Our focus is not on tasks, but on measurable results.


Cross-divisional collaboration:


Key people organise themselves around strategic implementation goals, objectives. Effective collaboration is achieved with agile methods. Key personnel involved are formed into a strong, cohesive team.

Individual responsibility:


Responsibility for the implementation of goals and key results is binding. Those responsible are sure of the group's solidarity. There is no finger pointing, but rather a responsible culture of support.


Focus:


A clear, understandable system of complementary goals and key results delegates responsibility and creates clarity. In addition to operational tasks people can, on average, keep an eye on only a maximum of three priorities at the same time.


Continuous practical learning:


The dynamics of the environment are reviewed every quarter to find which new influences and may be relevant for successful implementation.

“Agile strategy activation connects all ongoing measures and ensures focus and rapid adaptation to new findings with clear formats such as sprint planning, stakeholder reviews and retrospectives. As with a train timetable, a uniform clock ensures more reliability, better coordination and fewer frictional losses.”

Why use the OKR target framework for Strategy Implementation?


If you want to put a strategy into action, you must overcome existing organisational structures and network the thinking of the participants involved. This can be achieved with brain-friendly goals and an activating implementation mechanism. Perhaps you remember Steve Job’s famous, straight-forward, goal for the iPod – “A thousand songs in your pocket.”

The purpose of the OKR's target framework is to achieve consistent prioritisation and outcome orientation in an organisation and to structure overarching collaboration.

OKRs have proven to be particularly effective when implementing complex strategies. The abbreviation OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results.

The target system is so effective because it combines common sense with scientifically proven facts:

  1. It's simple and transparent.
  2. It promotes psychological safety and stimulates creative, unconventional thinking.
  3. It’s disciplined but flexible enough to respond to new insights.
  4. Nobody works on more than three important things at the same time. Human consciousness does not allow for more focus. 
  5. It promotes collaboration in teams across organisational structures.
  6. It is not directly tied to financial incentives for employees. Therefore, they can adopt an open, learning attitude when assessing progress and are not influenced by the possibility of bonus renumeration.


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Sebastian Morgner

Sebastian Morgner

Managing partner, leadership expert & strategy coach.

+49-8807-244446-0

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FAQ Strategy Implementation

What is Strategy Implementation

Strategy Implementation refers to the process by which an organisation translates its strategic goals and plans into concrete actions and actions to achieve those goals. Since these are mostly complex challenges in a changing environment, the approach must be exploratory and support rapid organisational learning.

Why is Strategy Implementation important?

Strategy Implementation is crucial to ensure that an organisation's strategic goals are actually achieved and thus ensure its future viability in an environment that is continuously shaped and changed by technological, social, political, market-related and economic developments. Without effective implementation, the strategy often remains only on paper and has no impact on results.

What the most important steps in Strategy Implementation?

The most important steps are: 

  1. The setting of clear goals 
  2. The identification of adequate key results and solution paths
  3. The assignment of responsibilities
  4. The creation of a schedule
  5. The monitoring of progress 
  6. The adaptation of the approach to achieve the goal, if necessary

Why do managers need leadership coaching for successful Strategy Implementation?

Leadership coaching enables managers to overcome personal hurdles and develop the necessary skills in leadership practice to credibly communicate strategic change, set an example and optimally prepare their teams for it. MLI’s leadership coaches have broad experience in strategy implementation and can therefore act as sparring partners and coaches on an equal footing. 

How can you overcome the obstacles of effective Strategy Implementation?

Obstacles can be overcome through clear communication, motivating employees, identifying risks and using resource assessments. Flexibility and adaptability are also crucial. The most important prerequisite for this is to create protected spaces where all key personnel can reflect together on progress and openly discuss the next steps and coordinate their ideas with one another.

What tools and methods are available for Strategy Implementation?

There are a variety of tools and methods including project management software, OKR (Objectives and Key Results), balanced scorecard and regular strategy reviews. The choice depends on the organisation's specific needs and resources.

What do you think when you look at this initial overview?

Do you have the time and interest to discuss with us how you can implement strategic topics in an agile and cross-functional manner?

Your contact person: Sebastian Morgner