So, before you attempt to implement strategy, ask. Ask your colleagues, your advisors and especially those folk who you will rely upon to put solutions into practice. “Does this work?” The goals, the strategy to achieve them, and the obstacles to be overcome will look different from different perspectives. And once you think you have the obstacles defined, check your assumptions, and check them again. It’s the conceptual version of measure twice, cut once. Then blue sky. In a world of no limitations, how might obstacles be addressed, problems solved? It’s important to craft this first version of strategy without any assumptions about what can and can’t be done. Again, ask. Just like problems look different from different perspectives, so do solutions. What to you may appear difficult, may from another’s experience and perspective, be perfectly doable. Now, consider what’s known – capabilities, constraints. These deserve some exploration. They will be internal as well as external, variable and fixed. Taken together they will determine what you can and can’t do, the resources you can throw at the obstacles, and the realities no amount of resource will affect. Given the problems, the possible solutions, the capabilities and the constraints, prototype. Draft a plan and get the feedback that will tell you what you missed and/or how you may have mis-communicated. Reconsider and revise. At this point, you may even have to go back to the beginning and re-draft your definitions of the problems. Yes, it’s work, but it pays off, especially if you don’t cut corners. And if doubt casts a shadow, just ask. HM
Getting It Right Nick Davis, Harbert ’84, is the President and CEO of Progressive Restaurants and Momma Goldberg’s Deli. Over the years, he’s run a lot of restaurants — at one point, 32 Taco Bells — and has franchised Momma Goldberg’s in 25 locations across the Southeast. In terms of strategic execution, he says, “with [our Taco Bells] we did a lot better than 60 percent. I think we got to 80 or 90.” In developing his strategic plans he made sure to involve people from all levels. “In fact, we had people who were not strategic planners who were most helpful.” The trust of the employees is important. Davis’s strategic team had a training director who spent a lot of time in the field and knew first-hand the issues employees confronted. She was trusted and well-liked across all his franchises. And his own experience and attitude played a huge part. He came up through the ranks, had worked nearly every job in the restaurant, and was seen as eminently approachable. Yes, he was CEO, but “I’ll get up and wash dishes.” Initially, plans were subject to quarterly review and tweaked as necessary. Once things looked functional those reviews became semi-annual. “You and your plans have to be flexible.” Key takeaways from a very successful CEO: 1. Involve people from all levels. 2. Create trust. 3. Be humble. 4. Check your plans and revise as necessary. 5. Be flexible.
Harbert Magazine, Fall 2024 33
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