Strategy Information Begins Outside Your Organization

Organizational strategy plans should be based on information found outside your organization.  Strategy is based on markets, customers, potential customers, technology and the changing worldwide economy and financial dynamics.  The results of strategic plans are visible to your customers and competitors.  Don't measure your results with internal measurements. 

Inside your organization you have only a few key strategic decisions about cost centers.  The real change is happening outside your doors.  You may have a mountain of information about your customers and why they buy your product or service.  Unless you are a major brand holding a majority percent of the market, your customers represent only a small fraction of the market.  Your noncustomers and their changing lifestyles reveal the relevant strategic information needed for growth.

Focus for Strategy Leaders:


1. Do you know more about what is happening inside your organization than outside your organization?  If so, reverse this trend and become the expert of your external environment.


2. Learn about important new technologies in (and outside) your industry.

3.  How much time do you spend understanding your noncustomers and their changing lifestyles?  Make a plan to increase this time on your calendar.


Action for Leaders:  Create a system that continuously collects external information about your products and services.  Become the expert if your organization about markets, customers, noncustomers, technology, and financial economies.


WorldWideTeams Consulting provides services in domestic and international business expansion and solutions strategies.  Contact Bett Mickels at bettmickels@worldwideteams.com

Change: Encourage it, Respect it, Expect it

Many management consulting organizations provide expertise in change management.  But can leaders really manage change?  Change is the norm in most organizations rather than an event that needs to be managed.  The task of the organization is to lead with change.  Change is in every area of the business.  Change is at every level of the company.  Employees performing the work usually know the areas of change better than anyone else in the company.  

Change should be encouraged, respected, and expected by executives and senior leaders and also every employee in the organization.   Organizations need leaders who see future trends and the direction their customers and employees are moving.  Leaders think that change is risky -- not changing is where the real risk lies.

How to be a Change Leader:

1. Look for changes in your business, department, and industry.  What do you see?

2.  Know where to look for the types of changes that are needed:

     Watch your systems and processes as a bystander
     Act like a customer
     Hold an impromptu brainstorm session
     Ask employees who are doing the daily work

3.  Make change decisions that are effective inside the company and beneficial to those outside the company.

Action for Leaders:  Anticipate the future and encourage, respect, and expect change in your area of responsibility.

WorldWideTeams Consulting provides multi-location strategic consulting services that enhance profitability.  Contact Bett Mickels at bettmickels@worldwideteams.com