Strategy As Momentum

Thanks to Eaon for reminding us (and incorporating a good Obama example) of Mark Earl's point about thinking of strategy in terms of momentum, and how best to harness the truths of human behaviour to generate momentum to our own advantage: "It’s about creating the sense that people (staff, customers, citizens or investors) are moving more and more towards something that the rest of us want to follow".

Johnnie made an excellent subsequent point about how often strategies are agrandised into heady conversations and diagrams, whilst momentum is made up of a lot of much humbler actions. This rings very true. There is often much theatre around corporate and other forms of strategy. It is often communicated through grandiose proclamation and statement of intent, but the place where strategy really needs to live and breathe is in the daily choices and actions of staff - in the 'very murk and muck and mess' of daily interaction, decision-making and work.

Image courtesy

Comments

[John]

As I commented on Johnnie's post, the great failure is that the strategy isn't spread throughout the organisation. Forget mission statements, every single employee has to understand the strategy and how their role contributes to its success. That way lies true employee empowerment and then, as you say, strategy can live and breathe.

[neilperkin]

Yes, great point. Too much emphasis on the mission statement, not enough on relevance to individuals

[eaon pritchard]

cheers neil,
I guess often 'strategy' and 'vision' get confused.
Inasmuch as strategy being a sort of collective noun for tactics as means-to-end, to deliver on vision. Without 'vision' then it's simply flapping about ;)

[Messu]

For me strategy can be momentum and i am agree to this article,well it is a matter of plan and implementing,in Finland most of the strategies in business including advertising is well plan and implement to make thing possible.