Report Highlights C-Suite Strategy Implementation Shortcomings

Michael R. Wood is a Business Process Improvement & IT Strategist Independent Consultant. He is creator of the business process-improvement methodology called HELIX and founder of The Natural Intelligence Group, a strategy, process improvement and technology consulting company. He is also a CPA, has served as an Adjunct Professor in Pepperdine's Management MBA program, an Associate Professor at California Lutheran University, and on the boards of numerous professional organizations. Mr. Wood is a sought after presenter of HELIX workshops and seminars in both the U.S. and Europe.

  Strategy  

In March of this year, PMI conducted research as to better understand why so many leadership teams (C-suite executives) are unable to engage the organization in their efforts to turn strategy into operational reality. The report, “Why Good Strategies Fail – lessons for the C-suite”, is based on surveying 587 senior executives throughout the world coupled with a series of in-depth interviews with senior executives and academic thought leaders.

In short, the findings were unsettling at best. Here are just a few highlights:

• 61% of those surveyed indicated their firms struggle to bridge the gap between strategy formulation and day-to-day implementation
• 44% of strategic initiatives failed since 2010
• 51% of those surveyed believe that strategic initiative success hinges on leadership buy-in and support

After reflecting on the report’s findings and my own observations dealing with C-suite teams over the past 20 years, I came to the conclusion that there is a growing level of detachment between C-suite leadership teams and the organization’s they serve. The report reinforced this conclusion time and again, as highlighted below:

• “28% admit that individual projects to implement strategy do not typically obtain the necessary senior-level sponsorship.”Only 59% of strategic initiatives are successful even …

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