Supporting real-time strategic decision-making across the leadership team

These are the ingredients for developing and validating hypotheses for market growth – a critical function of the strategy office. However, just as important as monitoring this information is socializing it across the leadership team.

On one recent HMA strategy project, the executive team of an association listened soberly as we described their direct competitor. The competitor was growing rapidly and winning over long-time members of the association. They had a small, nimble team, in contrast to the association’s cumbersome and complex governance structure. As we rehearsed the sentiments of their members, the needs in the markets, their partnerships, their offerings, and the shifting policy environment, we painted an up-to-date picture of their market realities. Their reaction was almost explosive: they had to take action to stem their eroding position. 

By socializing fact-based information, a strategy leader can create the tailwinds for action within an organization. The leader can also ensure that those who need to ratify or support strategic action understand the rationale for change. We think of strategically viable actions as being grounded in the domains above. For example, does the action take advantage of policy opportunities, avoid areas of dense competition, address demonstrated need, and leverage organizational capabilities and relationships? If those blessing the decision understand these same considerations, it will be easier to get to yes.

If you sit in a chief strategy seat, consider building the capability to monitor these domains, and surface your fact-based findings to organizational decision-makers. This information should be the bedrock for strategic decision-making—and strategy leaders will find it easier to secure board and executive support if those audiences are grounded in the same set of facts.