Mike Russell

If a strategic plan is really a change plan … what does that mean?

In the last post, we looked at three significant implications.

This post looks at a fourth:
Are those expected to change able to change?

Change capability isn’t often considered during strategic planning. It may not even be visible at that level.

However, it has a BIG impact at the implementation and worker level. And on whether the change is effective or even achieved at all.

Change capability, then, has a big impact on strategic plan results.

Changing processes and behaviors is not something that everyone knows how to do or do well.

Training is usually terrible at helping people change behavior and results. “Training” programs – or anything “learning and development” related – is about change. The point of those programs is for something to be different afterward … otherwise, why do it?

A 2019 HBR article (https://hbr.org/2019/10/where-companies-go-wrong-with-learning-and-development) resurfaced recently in social media feeds about why “learning and development” doesn’t result in learning and development.

An effective learning and development process includes:

1. Learning the core of what’s needed
2. Applying to real-world situations immediately
3. Receiving immediate feedback and refining understanding
4. Repeating the cycle

Sustainable learning and related change doesn’t happen in a few classroom hours. Learning needs application in the workplace and feedback to survive and produce results.

Do programs like this cost more? Sometimes.

The decision, though, isn’t about what program costs more or less.
It’s about whether the program investment is *wasted* or not.

Traditional training and learning & development programs waste the investment. Little learning and even less change.

Strategic changes go nowhere relying on traditional training programs.

👉 Want real change? For over 20 years our program framework has produced just that.

👉 Want ROI? Our programs can also produce direct, positive ROI and pay for themselves.

👉 Want to learn more? Contact us to discuss how to apply in your situation.

Annual strategic planning is coming up for many companies.

Beware! A good strategic plan isn’t a guarantee of success.

Far from it.

A good strategy will underperform – or even fail – if the organization’s culture, people, and processes don’t support it or believe in it.

Don’t guess about the ability of your culture, people, and processes to support your strategy.

Our short assessment can help you pinpoint areas to focus and areas that will sabotage your plan.

Now is the time to run the assessment, so you have results in time for planning.

Find out how to get the information you need – contact us to discuss with no obligation.

Only 59% of junior employees feel that their top brass embodies their company’s “leadership mindset”
(according to a recent report https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/juniors-execs-see-leadership-gap-6427234/)

Does this report describe your situation?

“Do as I say and not as I do” does not breed trust in anyone.

Nor does it promote “do as I say” in lower level leaders … just the opposite! Lower leaders will usually emulate upper leaders and do as they do. After all, the higher leaders made it to that level, so doing as they do would appear to be the path to greater success.

Distrust then increases as more leaders behave differently from the supposedly ideal company leadership behavior.

Two key questions:

❓ How do you know if the report describes your situation?
Usually there is a disconnect between what higher-level leaders believe is happening and what is actually happening. It’s common but curable.

❓ Do you care?
Meaning … are you willing to:
a) find out the real situation?
b) make changes to align your behavior with the stated “leadership mindset”?

If you don’t care, then don’t waste everyone’s time (including yours!) with coaching or consulting.

If you do care, be aware that any coaching/consulting will NOT work with a “done for you” approach. The best approach is “done with you” since behavior change cannot be done for you … only you can do that.

DIY (do it yourself) leadership behavior change can work, but is usually much more difficult because:

🔎 People are less likely to respond to questions and surveys from you (why you don’t always get accurate information) compared to from someone outside the organization.

👁 It’s hard for you to “see” your own behavior accurately.

We have organizational assessments to help with this, as well as experienced coaches. An introductory coaching session is free with no further obligation.

It took me too long to understand a key underlying point across several of Sahil Bloom’s learnings from being in an entrepreneurs retreat (https://lnkd.in/eCrWAFEQ).

Trying to be “solo” as an entrepreneur – or leader for that matter – is wrong for most everyone. Getting perspective and feedback from outside your current thinking is critical.

I think there is also a broader view of his first key learning: “Freedom is the real goal. Once you’ve achieved a certain level of financial success, everything becomes about a quest for freedom.”

The quest for freedom is available for everyone, regardless of financial level. Everyone has some degrees of freedom, even if less so due to tight finances.

It’s rare to achieve greater success, whether financial or otherwise, if you don’t understand and seek freedom – ability to make your own decisions – where you can now. Why? Because that is where you can make the changes that enable more freedom – and success – in the future.

Waiting for the ability to seek “freedom” later is almost certain to guarantee you won’t get it.

This is especially true for leaders.