Strategy Execution 101: How to Transition From Plans to Execution
Unlock the secrets of successful strategy execution. Transform your strategic plans into actionable results and propel your organization towards its goals.
Successful strategy execution is about bridging the gap between a company's strategic vision and the day-to-day operations that make it a reality. Unfortunately, many organizations struggle with effective strategy execution, often due to a lack of understanding or a disconnect between strategic planning and daily operations.
Let's explore the fundamental elements of strategy execution, including best practice examples from top companies and how software applications can help facilitate this process.
What is Strategy Execution?
Strategy execution is the art of turning strategic plans into tangible outcomes. Successful strategy execution is all about translating a vision into actionable steps and aligning resources to drive success. In many ways, strategy execution is where the rubber meets the road in business strategy.
How Do You Create and Execute a Strategic Plan?
A strategic plan sets the direction for your organization. Here's how to create and execute one effectively:
- Define your goals : Start with a clear understanding of what you aim to achieve. This clarity will guide your entire strategy.
- Analyze your context : Assess both external and internal factors that influence your organization, including market trends and internal strengths.
- Establish objectives : Set specific, measurable, and achievable objectives that resonate with your organization's mission.
- Evaluate capabilities : Understand your organization's strengths and areas for improvement to focus your strategic efforts effectively.
- Action plan development : Break down your business strategy into clear, actionable steps, assigning responsibilities and deadlines.
- Metrics and measurement : Use KPIs to monitor progress and make necessary adjustments, ensuring your strategy remains on track.
- Streamline communication : Ensure that every team member understands their role in the strategy and how they contribute to the organization's goals.
- Adapt and evolve : Be prepared to adjust your strategy in response to new insights and external changes to stay relevant and effective.
The Key Elements of Strategy Execution
You might be familiar with the renowned frameworks of the 4 A's (Alignment, Ability, Architecture, and Agility) and the 8 S's (Strategy, Structure, Systems and Processes, Style, Staff, Resources, Shared Values, and Strategic Performance) of strategy execution . However, we distill these concepts into what we believe are the foundational pillars.
To enhance strategy execution, focus on 5 key areas:
- Alignment: One of the most critical elements of strategy execution is ensuring that every part of the organization is aligned with the strategic vision. This involves ensuring that every employee understands the strategy and how their role contributes to it.
- Communication: Effective communication is essential for strategy execution. This includes not only conveying the strategy to all levels of the organization but also ensuring that there is a two-way flow of information so that feedback can be used to adjust the strategy as necessary.
- Measurement: What gets measured gets managed. This old adage is as true in strategy execution as it is in any other aspect of business. By setting clear, measurable objectives, companies can track their progress and adjust their approach as necessary.
- Accountability: Everyone in the organization needs to understand their responsibilities and be held accountable for their part in executing the strategy.
- Resource Allocation: Companies need to ensure that they are allocating their resources in a way that supports their strategic objectives .
9 out of 10 organizations fail to execute strategy. Avoid their fate. Download our free toolkit
Why is strategy execution difficult.
In their book "The Balanced Scorecard," authors David Norton and Robert Kaplan highlight a startling statistic: 90% of organizations fail to execute their strategies successfully . This high failure rate uncovers a critical issue within many organizations— the lack of commitment and focus on strategic management compared to other organizational functions.
Successful execution is a challenging task for many companies. Here's a look at common challenges you may encounter while trying to tie your plans to actions:
- Lack of clear objectives : Teams struggle without specific, actionable objectives, leading to misalignment with the strategic vision. Objectives should be well-defined, quantifiable, and aligned with the organization's goals to provide clear direction.
- Lack of buy-in from stakeholders : For effective strategy execution, all stakeholders must understand and commit to the strategic plan. Without shared belief and understanding, it's hard to foster the necessary motivation and engagement.
- Lack of visibility into plan execution progress : Transparency and regular updates on progress are essential to maintain momentum and adapt strategies as needed. Visibility ensures everyone is aware of their contributions and can promptly address obstacles.
- Lack of alignment : Misalignment between daily operations and strategic objectives can lead to prioritization conflicts and resource misallocation. Team members must understand how their work supports the strategic goals.
- Inadequate tracking and measurement : Effective tracking mechanisms and key performance indicators (KPIs) are vital for assessing progress and making informed decisions. Measuring outcomes against objectives allows for timely adjustments and emphasizes the strategic plan's importance. Use tools like ClearPoint Strategy to ensure you're properly tracking KPIs .
- Communication breakdowns : Clear and consistent communication is key to keeping everyone aligned with the strategic vision. Lack of communication can cause confusion, misalignment, and inefficiency.
- Non-strategic work taking precedence : Often, routine tasks or short-term objectives overshadow strategic goals, leading to a focus on immediate results rather than long-term success. Balancing operational demands with strategic initiatives is essential.
- People not connected to the strategy : Connecting employees with the strategy and showing how their roles impact organizational success can boost their commitment and contribution to execution. When individuals see the value of their work in the company's success, they're more likely to be motivated and aligned with the strategic objectives.
By tackling these issues, organizations can enhance their strategy execution and increase their chances of achieving strategic goals.
What is The Most Difficult Part of Executing Strategy?
According to Forbes , the most challenging aspect of strategy execution is ineffective sensemaking , where employees struggle to interpret and apply the new strategy within their specific roles and contexts.
Traditional approaches don't fully address this issue. To effectively execute a strategy, organizations must help employees make sense of the strategy, translating it into meaningful actions for their unique situations. This requires empathetic business leaders and active engagement to guide employees in understanding how the strategy impacts their daily work, ensuring that the organization strategy is not just communicated but truly understood and integrated across all levels of the organization.
How to Move from Strategy to Execution
Transitioning from strategy to execution requires a clear action plan that breaks down strategic objectives into manageable tasks and milestones. It's essential to assign ownership of these tasks to specific team members or departments to ensure accountability.
To move from strategy to execution, Harvard Business Review suggests focusing on the first two critical steps of strategy execution: clarifying decision rights and ensuring information flows where it's needed . Here's a summary of the key steps:
- Make sure everyone in your organization knows which decisions and actions they are responsible for. This involves specifying who "owns" each decision and who must provide input. Encouraging higher-level managers to delegate operational decisions can also help in clarifying decision rights.
- Important information about the competitive environment should flow quickly to corporate headquarters to identify patterns and promulgate best practices. Facilitate information flow across organizational boundaries to promote collaboration and ensure that field and line employees understand how their day-to-day choices affect the company's bottom line.
Establishing a timeline and setting up regular check-ins can help keep the execution on track.
It's important to recognize that the transition from strategy to execution is not a sequential process but a dynamic interplay between vision and execution. That means that vision and execution should occur simultaneously, not in isolation.
How Do You Build an Organization Capable of Good Strategy Execution?
To effectively execute a corporate strategy, an organization must build a supportive structure and develop key competencies and capabilities. This begins with assembling a skilled team and extends to enhancing core competencies vital for strategy execution, which should adapt to changing strategies and external conditions.
These competencies should evolve as the strategy and external conditions change. Organizational structuring is also key. It involves the alignment of activities and business processes, as well as determining the appropriate level of decision-making authority to delegate throughout the organization.
How Do You Measure Strategy Execution?
Measuring organizational strategy execution effectively requires a structured KPI actionable plan. Key metrics like revenue, profit, customer acquisition cost, customer retention rate, employee turnover rate, and Net Promoter Score provide a multifaceted view of how well a strategy is being executed. These metrics offer insights into financial performance, customer and employee satisfaction, and overall market position.
4 Best Practices for Strategy Execution in Action
Let's look at some examples of how top companies have successfully executed their strategies.
1. Embed Strategic Principles in Every Aspect of Operations (Inspired by Apple Inc. )
Apple's success has been largely due to its strategic focus on innovation and user experience. The company ensures that these principles are embedded in every part of their operations, from product design to marketing, and that all employees understand their role in supporting this strategy.
Conduct regular training sessions and workshops to reinforce these principles. Use internal communications to highlight examples of how various departments are aligning their work with the company's strategic goals.
2. Prioritize Customer Feedback to Drive Continuous Improvement (Inspired by Amazon )
Amazon's "customer obsession" strategy has been key to its success. The company is constantly measuring customer satisfaction and using this data to drive continuous improvement.
Implement robust mechanisms for collecting customer feedback, such as surveys, focus groups, and direct customer interactions. Use this data to make informed adjustments to products, services, and customer engagement strategies.
3. Foster Agility and Innovation Within Your Teams (Inspired by Google )
Google's strategy is based on innovation and speed. The company's structure, with its small, agile teams, supports this strategy by enabling rapid decision-making and experimentation.
Establish small, cross-functional teams with clear objectives and the autonomy to experiment and iterate quickly. Promote a culture that values creativity and is not afraid of failure, as long as it leads to learning and improvement.
4. Align Resources and Communication With Strategic Vision (Inspired by Microsoft )
Microsoft's successful pivot to a cloud-first strategy is a testament to its ability to align its resources with its strategic vision. The company communicated the new strategy to all employees and ensured that it was reflected in all aspects of their operations.
Ensure that all employees understand the strategic vision and how their work contributes to it. Align resources, including budget, talent, and technology, to support the execution of this vision.
Regularly communicate the strategic vision and updates on its progress to all employees. Align performance metrics and incentives with strategic objectives to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.
Excel at Strategy Execution with ClearPoint Strategy!
ClearPoint Strategy offers a comprehensive solution that can help organizations effectively execute their strategies. The software application allows businesses to align their strategic objectives with their operations, track progress toward these objectives, and communicate the strategy to all levels of the organization.
One of the key features of ClearPoint is its AI Assistant . The tool uses machine learning to provide actionable insights and help decision-makers manage their strategy execution process more effectively. Some of the capabilities of the AI Assistant include:
- Data analysis: The AI Assistant can analyze large volumes of data and identify patterns or trends that could impact the strategy execution process.
- Predictive analytics: Using advanced machine learning algorithms, the AI Assistant can predict future outcomes based on historical data, allowing businesses to make more informed decisions.
- Automation: The AI Assistant can automate many aspects of the strategy execution process, such as setting reports to generate on a schedule or sending reports to users. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of human error.
- Communication: The AI Assistant can facilitate communication by receiving notifications, alerts, and mentions or generating visualizations that make it easier to understand the company's progress towards its strategic objectives.
Take a Test Drive! Try out our AI Assistant now
While strategy execution is a difficult business practice, tools like ClearPoint Strategy software can significantly simplify the process and help businesses achieve their strategic goals. By learning from the best practices of successful companies and leveraging the power of AI, organizations of all sizes can master the art of strategy execution.
Schedule a demo today to see the software in action!
Joseph Lucco
Joseph is the Vice President of Customer Success at ClearPoint
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5 Strategy Execution Skills Every Business Leader Needs
- 21 Oct 2021
It’s often said a corporation’s strategy is the most important component in whether it will successfully reach its business goals and objectives . While it’s true that identifying the right strategy is essential to running a business, it’s not the only part of the equation that matters. Strategy execution —the art of implementing a strategy as planned—is also vital.
Successfully executing complex strategy is so critical that professionals with a track record of organizational strategy implementation are often in high demand. Taking simple steps in developing your strategy execution skills and experience can enable you to fill that demand.
Below is a look at the key strategy execution skills every business leader should have, along with the steps you can take to develop them.
Access your free e-book today.
Essential Strategy Execution Skills
1. navigating the tension between innovation and control.
Successfully executing a firm’s strategy requires trade-offs, including which opportunities to pursue, which customers to prioritize, and where to do business.
In addition to these important decisions, business leaders face a fundamental tension between the need to innovate to stay relevant and control operations to ensure strategies are successfully implemented. Learning how to balance these two needs is an essential execution skill.
Implementing a “ levers of control ” framework can help guide decisions, which offers four levers that can be manipulated to facilitate either innovation or control.
To facilitate innovation, business leaders can use the levers of:
- Belief systems: These communicate what people should do and how they should act as they strive for optimum performance. They commonly take the form of credos, mission statements, and core value statements.
- Interactive control systems: These are formal information systems managers use to involve themselves in subordinates’ decisions and focus organizational attention on emerging threats and opportunities.
To facilitate control, business leaders can use the levers of:
- Boundary systems: These communicate what people shouldn’t do as they pursue performance objectives. They take the form of codes of conduct and other formal systems.
- Diagnostic control systems: These are formal information systems managers use to monitor organizational outcomes and correct deviations from preset standards of performance.
Related: The Role Core Values Play in Strategy Execution
2. Mastering the Four Ps of Strategy
The meaning of the word “strategy” varies according to the context in which it’s used. This is primarily due to the fact that a business’s strategy can be leveraged for several primary purposes, collectively known as the “four Ps of strategy”:
- Strategy as perspective communicates an organization’s larger mission and purpose and inspires pride in employees.
- Strategy as patterns of action describes a business’s ability to identify information about changes in the competitive landscape so it can adapt and stay relevant.
- Strategy as position is the competitive position a business takes in the marketplace, including its value proposition and differentiators.
- Strategy as plans refers to the specific goals and measures a business communicates to its employees.
All business leaders should aim to master these four dimensions. Doing so can allow them to communicate and execute strategy across channels effectively. Firmly understanding these components can also better position a leader to pull the levers of control and innovation.
3. Aligning Key Jobs with Strategy
Although business leaders are responsible for overseeing and implementing organizational strategy, it would be impractical for them to carry out each distinct task. For the same reason managers must delegate tasks to team members, business leaders must delegate key strategy tasks to employees.
To accomplish this, business leaders need to be adept at designing jobs that align with specific elements of their organizations’ strategies. A well-designed job can ensure employees have the right mix of control, accountability, influence, and support to succeed.
One tool you can use to design jobs that closely align with strategy is the Job Design Optimization Tool (JDOT) created by Harvard Business School Professor Robert Simons, who teaches the online course Strategy Execution .
Related: How to Design a High-Performing Job
4. Measuring Value Creation Beyond Financial Performance
To determine whether an organization is effectively hitting its strategy goals—and whether its strategy is positively impacting the business—it’s important to have a clear monitoring process. Without measurement, it’s impossible to know if the strategy being pursued is the right one. This is a key component of executing one of the four Ps: strategy as plans.
Well-designed diagnostic control systems allow leaders to measure and monitor performance. But merely measuring financial performance ignores intangible assets, such as research capabilities, brand loyalty, and customer relationships.
To ensure you track and measure progress toward multiple types of strategic goals, consider using the balanced scorecard , a tool explained in Strategy Execution .
In addition to the financial perspective, a balanced scorecard also measures:
- Customer perspective
- Process perspective
- Learning and growth perspective
Each produces value for an organization that can’t be easily measured in financial terms.
5. Managing Strategic Risk
All businesses are subject to risk—particularly high-performing, innovative businesses with high-pressure cultures. This makes risk management an essential part of all business operations, including strategy execution.
“Competing successfully in any industry involves some level of risk,” Simons says in Strategy Execution . “But high-performing businesses with high-pressure cultures are especially vulnerable. As a manager, you need to know how and why these risks arise and how to avoid them.”
The four primary sources of risk to be aware of and account for are:
- Operations risk: The likelihood an operational error will interfere with the flow of a business’s goods and services
- Asset impairment risk: When an asset—whether financial, physical, or intellectual property—risks losing a significant portion of its current value
- Competitive risk: Changes in the competitive environment that could impair a business’s ability to create value and differentiate its offerings
- Franchise risk: When one of the other three risk categories threatens a business’s viability
Effective execution requires understanding these risks and how they might influence both an organization and its strategy. Various tools can aid in performing risk analysis, such as a risk exposure calculator, which helps pinpoint a business’s potential problem areas. Likewise, internal controls, boundary systems, and diagnostic control systems can be leveraged to track and manage risk.
Who Needs Strategy Execution Skills?
While strategy execution is often discussed in the context of business leaders and executives, other professionals who can benefit include:
- Mid-level managers and functional leads: Strategy isn’t only implemented on a company-wide basis; individual departments, teams, and verticals within an organization must also execute strategies. Current and aspiring managers or functional leads can improve their teams’ performances by developing their own skills.
- Entrepreneurs : Building and scaling a business requires exceptional execution. This is especially true in the earliest days of a startup’s life when the team is small.
- Consultants : Strategy execution is so essential that many organizations hire consultants with strategy execution expertise to carry out their corporate strategy. Consultants who develop strategy execution skills can potentially add a lucrative new source of revenue to their businesses.
Developing Your Strategy Execution Skills
While there are many resources you can use to learn how to design effective strategy, there aren’t many dedicated to teaching strategy execution. With this in mind, completing a course or workshop that’s highly focused on strategy execution is one of the most effective ways to build your skills.
The online course Strategy Execution was specifically designed with the skills above in mind. Those who complete it walk away with a firm understanding of the skills, tools, and frameworks needed to allocate resources, measure performance, manage risk, and execute strategy.
Are you interested in developing your strategy execution skills? Explore our eight-week Strategy Execution course and other online strategy courses to hone your strategic planning and execution skills.
This post was updated on November 27, 2023. It was originally published on October 21, 2021.
About the Author
6 Steps To Successful Strategy Execution
Strategic planning is hard, but the real challenge is execution. Connecting the dots between strategy and action can feel like an impossible task. And if you’re thinking, “ but I have a solid plan in place, ” think again. You might have heard that a staggering 90% of strategic plans fail to succeed . But did you know that even today, 50% of strategies still don't get executed?
In a world where disruptions have become the new normal and competition is intensifying, it's more important than ever to tie planning and execution together.
Business leaders and executives have started paying attention to this gap, but many organizations still struggle to find the right approach to strategy execution. They get bogged down in endless planning cycles, spreadsheets, and disconnected business tools that make it difficult to move the needle forward.
In this article, we’re going to share a proven framework and a tool to help you close the strategy execution gap and move your business forward.
What Is Strategy Execution?
Strategy execution is the process of making a company's strategic plan happen. This helps the company achieve what it wants to do. It means making sure everyone and everything works together to turn a company's vision and strategic objectives into reality.
This guide will show you the key steps to follow when you develop a successful strategy execution plan . At a high level, the execution journey encompasses the following:
You'll notice two key things about this strategy execution diagram:
It's circular
Strategy isn't a process. It’s a way of running your organization. It never ends and is 100% iterative .
It's holistic
Few organizations have tangible connections between their strategic plan and their processes for reporting , performance management, and rewarding employees. All your business processes need to work in harmony and be coherent if you're to be truly successful.
So, how do you successfully execute a strategy? Let's break down the individual phases of this diagram so you understand how to develop a business strategy execution plan:
6-Step Strategy Execution Framework
1. strategic planning.
Effective planning is crucial to the success of any strategy, as haphazard plans often lead to failure. Data suggests that as much as 83% of strategies fail due to faulty assumptions in the strategy formulation process.
To successfully execute a strategy, the planning process is the first and most important step. We've written extensively about how to write good strategic plans .
Your planning phase needs to address at least the following questions:
- What are you going to ultimately achieve? What are your company’s core business metrics ?
- What steps will you take to get there?
- What framework will you use to keep you focused and on track (think the Cascade Model, Balanced Scorecard , McKinsey's Three Horizons model , etc.)?
- How will you structure your strategy reporting ?
- What’s the frequency of your strategy reviews and meetings?
- What communications plan do you have in place for your strategy?
- Who will your strategy mentors or advisers be?
You have to make a plan before you execute the plan.
👉 Click here to get your free strategic planning template.
💡 Tip: Avoid paralysis by analysis. Staying too long in the planning phase sparks a strategy or execution debate. Shut the debate down and move to the next step.
2. Communication
According to an article by Harvard Business Review, “95 % of employees don’t understand or are unaware of their company’s strategy.”
Unfortunately, many organizations make the mistake of communicating their strategic plan only after it has been developed. You need to start the process of engaging your organization during the planning phase. And once it’s ready, expose it to your people because strategy presentations don’t work .
Rather than simply presenting the plan to your team, it's important to allow them to explore, discuss, and ask questions about it.
Two-way communication is crucial, with guidelines and policies flowing from the top while feedback and ideas come from the bottom. To achieve this, it's important to improve internal communication processes and establish mechanisms for feedback and input.
For example, you need to establish a mechanism for people to provide feedback about the strategy both at the start and as it rolls out. Here are some ways to facilitate this constructive communication:
- Hold regular team meetings to discuss progress and align goals with the strategic plan.
- Develop organizational transparency by sharing information with employees.
- Foster an open and collaborative culture where feedback is encouraged.
- Create regular formal and informal surveys and questionnaires to gather insights.
Don’t fall into the trap of doing a great job of communicating at the start, only to see efforts fall away as people go back to business as usual! Instead, expose your strategy to your people, keep it alive and up-to-date, and have your people engage with it regularly.
3. Goal setting and alignment
OK, so you've got a plan—the next step is to start creating tangible goals.
To achieve this, it's important to link every activity of your team to the strategic plan. It seems obvious, but many organizations create a plan, communicate it, and expect the rest to happen by magic. By ensuring that everyone in the team has ownership of their goals, you're moving the plan towards fruition.
However, simply creating goals is not enough. Alignment with company goals is essential to give structure to the execution of the plan. By aligning strategic initiatives with overarching business goals, you provide strategic clarity and enable your teams to focus on what matters the most to move the business forward. This, in turn, ensures that strategy execution is going in the right direction.
Through the goal-setting process , you can also reveal critical insights that help you refine your plan:
- Whether or not the plan is realistic given resource constraints.
- If you have the right people and skills to execute every aspect of the plan.
- How well people have understood your overarching business objectives.
Goal management becomes the bedrock for your ongoing tracking, reporting, and performance management. Each of these is a key element in a successful strategy execution.
4. Tracking and reporting
Tracking and reporting on strategic goals is crucial to establishing strategic control and driving progress, but it's easier said than done.
Cascade’s Strategy Report revealed that only 18% of team members review progress on weekly basis.
There are two key components to effective tracking and reporting.
Firstly, you need to ensure that everyone in your organization is regularly updating the progress on their own individual goals. This doesn't have to be arduous or time-consuming—a few minutes per month is usually enough. For example, in Cascade , you can set a cadence for people to update their goals before the review meeting. This helps you ensure that progress is consistently monitored and reported throughout the execution phase.
Secondly, updates should include a quantitative measure of progress against the goal ( KPIs ), as well as a short comment for context. Within Cascade, each team member can post progress updates and add comments in a text or video format so everyone involved understands the context.
Goals should never be seen as static elements of your strategic plan. It’s a given that sometimes you’ll need to change the deadline of a goal or even rewrite the goal entirely as your organization evolves. That’s fine, as long as visibility of those changes exists.
👉Here’s how Cascade can help you:
With Cascade's strategy reports, you can schedule automated progress reports so everyone has access to the latest information. You can customize the content of reports to suit the needs of different audiences. Plus, you can integrate Cascade with your business communication tools ( Outlook , Slack , Teams ) and send updates directly to your manager or the whole team.
5. Performance management
According to Gartner, 58% of businesses believe their performance management systems are not sufficient in monitoring the success of their strategies. When it comes to performance management, the majority of strategy implementation approaches start to unravel.
People generally view performance management (and reviews in general) as the sole domain of human resources. And you’d be hard-pressed to find actual users of the most common performance management systems that have positive things to say about the experience—or how it helps them better execute their company's strategy .
Performance management should be a natural extension of goal setting, which in turn is a natural extension of your strategic plan. It is, therefore, a critical part of your execution action plan.
As you go through the process of reviewing your people’s performance, you need to be able to measure how their contributions align with your company’s strategic goals.
Here’s how a performance management process can help you execute your plan:
- Individual goals and KPIs relate directly to the organization’s strategic plan
- It helps you review and reward people for their contributions to the overall strategy
- The system is simple to use and as close to “fun” as possible
- It’s social, transparent, fair, and well understood
Few off-the-shelf performance management systems tick those boxes, but Cascade facilitates the performance review processes and removes many of the friction points.
6. Rewarding
The natural conclusion of performance management is rewarding employees.
You've put so much effort into planning, communicating, and goal-setting —but don’t forget that the one thing that, ultimately, we all (almost all) work for is money.
The importance of connecting rewards back to strategy cannot be understated. This should be easy enough if you create a strategy with individual contributions in mind.
💡Here’s a tip: Don’t treat performance metrics as absolutes.
Achieving your goals in the short term shouldn’t come at the expense of the long term. Progress is just as important as meeting your goals. Don’t destroy your culture by rewarding teams and managers that achieve their goals at the cost of everything else.
Don't forget that rewarding doesn't just have to be monetary. It could be meaningful corporate gifts , travel perk, sending people to conferences, extending them additional leadership opportunities—anything at all that you're doing on a merit basis.
Build a culture of strategy execution by linking rewards to your strategic plan
Strategy Execution Best Practices
Now that you know the essential steps for effective strategy execution, here are the best practices and tips to ensure the success of your strategic initiatives.
1. Form a strategy execution team
Don't just rely on the same old senior leaders to execute strategy. Create a dream team of stakeholders responsible for reviewing past performance and identifying the information needed to create a good strategy. And most importantly, involve stakeholders who will be involved in the execution itself—they will be able to provide additional context to your leadership team. This way, you can plan, prioritize, and execute strategic goals with a dedicated and motivated team from the get-go.
2. Ensure organization-wide strategic alignment
In the realm of strategy, aligning corporate, business, functional, and operational levels is indispensable.
- Corporate strategy sets the vision. Ensure business-level strategies within units align directly, creating a clear link from corporate vision to daily operations.
- Business strategies refine the overarching vision. Alignment is key, ensuring actions in business units contribute directly to corporate objectives and maintain organizational focus.
- Functional strategies within business units, whether in marketing or finance, must align with business-level themes. Each function should enhance the overall corporate strategy, ensuring a unified approach.
- Operational strategies , the backbone of daily activities, must align with overarching goals, ensuring effective execution within business units.
Achieving organization-wide alignment at all strategy levels is key to successful execution. Helping your team members understand how their actions impact the organization’s bottom line will allow them to make better strategic decisions connected to your overarching strategy.
Cascade’s Alignment Maps & Relationships feature allows you to visualize how different organizational plans work together to form your strategy and map the dependencies that may lie along your journey.
3. Make adjustments when necessary
Don’t be afraid to change. The business environment is constantly evolving, so what worked before may not work now. Regularly reviewing and adjusting the strategy ensures you remain aligned with the company's goals and current market conditions. This is the only way to ensure you are going in the right direction and not wasting resources on dead-end strategies.
📚 Recommended read: Strategic Control Simplified: A 6-Step Process And Tools
4. Use strategy execution software
Many companies still rely on spreadsheets and multiple disconnected tools to monitor their strategy execution. Unfortunately, this approach can lead to more problems than solutions.
Using spreadsheets as a way to track progress is time-consuming and error-prone, and it is hard to keep the data up-to-date in real-time. Moreover, spreadsheets do not provide a comprehensive overview of your performance, making it difficult to identify red flags and opportunities for improvement.
That’s why adopting a specific tool for strategic execution can become your biggest competitive advantage.
Master Strategy Execution With Cascade 🚀
Executing a successful strategy is vital for the growth and success of any organization, but it's easier said than done. With the six steps outlined in this article, you can create a clear roadmap for executing your strategy and ensure everyone in your organization is aligned and focused on business outcomes.
However, without the right tools and technology in place, your efforts may fall short. Here's where Cascade strategy execution software comes into play.
Cascade centralizes your strategy for better, accelerated decision-making rooted in data. With Cascade, you can easily align your team’s efforts with your organizational strategy, set and track goals , and measure progress. You get a centralized place that ensures top-to-bottom alignment and visibility, improved resource management, and fast adaptability.
Don't let complacency or disjointed processes hold you back from achieving your strategic goals.
Say goodbye to the outdated spreadsheet-based approach, and start using Cascade to achieve better results and make your strategy execution process more efficient and effective.
Watch here a product tour of Cascade today and see how it can help you achieve faster results from your strategy. With no sales contact unless you want to . ;)
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- What is strategic planning? A 5-step gu ...
What is strategic planning? A 5-step guide
Strategic planning is a process through which business leaders map out their vision for their organization’s growth and how they’re going to get there. In this article, we'll guide you through the strategic planning process, including why it's important, the benefits and best practices, and five steps to get you from beginning to end.
Strategic planning is a process through which business leaders map out their vision for their organization’s growth and how they’re going to get there. The strategic planning process informs your organization’s decisions, growth, and goals.
Strategic planning helps you clearly define your company’s long-term objectives—and maps how your short-term goals and work will help you achieve them. This, in turn, gives you a clear sense of where your organization is going and allows you to ensure your teams are working on projects that make the most impact. Think of it this way—if your goals and objectives are your destination on a map, your strategic plan is your navigation system.
In this article, we walk you through the 5-step strategic planning process and show you how to get started developing your own strategic plan.
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What is strategic planning?
Strategic planning is a business process that helps you define and share the direction your company will take in the next three to five years. During the strategic planning process, stakeholders review and define the organization’s mission and goals, conduct competitive assessments, and identify company goals and objectives. The product of the planning cycle is a strategic plan, which is shared throughout the company.
What is a strategic plan?
A strategic plan is the end result of the strategic planning process. At its most basic, it’s a tool used to define your organization’s goals and what actions you’ll take to achieve them.
Typically, your strategic plan should include:
Your company’s mission statement
Your organizational goals, including your long-term goals and short-term, yearly objectives
Any plan of action, tactics, or approaches you plan to take to meet those goals
What are the benefits of strategic planning?
Strategic planning can help with goal setting and decision-making by allowing you to map out how your company will move toward your organization’s vision and mission statements in the next three to five years. Let’s circle back to our map metaphor. If you think of your company trajectory as a line on a map, a strategic plan can help you better quantify how you’ll get from point A (where you are now) to point B (where you want to be in a few years).
When you create and share a clear strategic plan with your team, you can:
Build a strong organizational culture by clearly defining and aligning on your organization’s mission, vision, and goals.
Align everyone around a shared purpose and ensure all departments and teams are working toward a common objective.
Proactively set objectives to help you get where you want to go and achieve desired outcomes.
Promote a long-term vision for your company rather than focusing primarily on short-term gains.
Ensure resources are allocated around the most high-impact priorities.
Define long-term goals and set shorter-term goals to support them.
Assess your current situation and identify any opportunities—or threats—allowing your organization to mitigate potential risks.
Create a proactive business culture that enables your organization to respond more swiftly to emerging market changes and opportunities.
What are the 5 steps in strategic planning?
The strategic planning process involves a structured methodology that guides the organization from vision to implementation. The strategic planning process starts with assembling a small, dedicated team of key strategic planners—typically five to 10 members—who will form the strategic planning, or management, committee. This team is responsible for gathering crucial information, guiding the development of the plan, and overseeing strategy execution.
Once you’ve established your management committee, you can get to work on the planning process.
Step 1: Assess your current business strategy and business environment
Before you can define where you’re going, you first need to define where you are. Understanding the external environment, including market trends and competitive landscape, is crucial in the initial assessment phase of strategic planning.
To do this, your management committee should collect a variety of information from additional stakeholders, like employees and customers. In particular, plan to gather:
Relevant industry and market data to inform any market opportunities, as well as any potential upcoming threats in the near future.
Customer insights to understand what your customers want from your company—like product improvements or additional services.
Employee feedback that needs to be addressed—whether about the product, business practices, or the day-to-day company culture.
Consider different types of strategic planning tools and analytical techniques to gather this information, such as:
A balanced scorecard to help you evaluate four major elements of a business: learning and growth, business processes, customer satisfaction, and financial performance.
A SWOT analysis to help you assess both current and future potential for the business (you’ll return to this analysis periodically during the strategic planning process).
To fill out each letter in the SWOT acronym, your management committee will answer a series of questions:
What does your organization currently do well?
What separates you from your competitors?
What are your most valuable internal resources?
What tangible assets do you have?
What is your biggest strength?
Weaknesses:
What does your organization do poorly?
What do you currently lack (whether that’s a product, resource, or process)?
What do your competitors do better than you?
What, if any, limitations are holding your organization back?
What processes or products need improvement?
Opportunities:
What opportunities does your organization have?
How can you leverage your unique company strengths?
Are there any trends that you can take advantage of?
How can you capitalize on marketing or press opportunities?
Is there an emerging need for your product or service?
What emerging competitors should you keep an eye on?
Are there any weaknesses that expose your organization to risk?
Have you or could you experience negative press that could reduce market share?
Is there a chance of changing customer attitudes towards your company?
Step 2: Identify your company’s goals and objectives
To begin strategy development, take into account your current position, which is where you are now. Then, draw inspiration from your vision, mission, and current position to identify and define your goals—these are your final destination.
To develop your strategy, you’re essentially pulling out your compass and asking, “Where are we going next?” “What’s the ideal future state of this company?” This can help you figure out which path you need to take to get there.
During this phase of the planning process, take inspiration from important company documents, such as:
Your mission statement, to understand how you can continue moving towards your organization’s core purpose.
Your vision statement, to clarify how your strategic plan fits into your long-term vision.
Your company values, to guide you towards what matters most towards your company.
Your competitive advantages, to understand what unique benefit you offer to the market.
Your long-term goals, to track where you want to be in five or 10 years.
Your financial forecast and projection, to understand where you expect your financials to be in the next three years, what your expected cash flow is, and what new opportunities you will likely be able to invest in.
Step 3: Develop your strategic plan and determine performance metrics
Now that you understand where you are and where you want to go, it’s time to put pen to paper. Take your current business position and strategy into account, as well as your organization’s goals and objectives, and build out a strategic plan for the next three to five years. Keep in mind that even though you’re creating a long-term plan, parts of your plan should be created or revisited as the quarters and years go on.
As you build your strategic plan, you should define:
Company priorities for the next three to five years, based on your SWOT analysis and strategy.
Yearly objectives for the first year. You don’t need to define your objectives for every year of the strategic plan. As the years go on, create new yearly objectives that connect back to your overall strategic goals .
Related key results and KPIs. Some of these should be set by the management committee, and some should be set by specific teams that are closer to the work. Make sure your key results and KPIs are measurable and actionable. These KPIs will help you track progress and ensure you’re moving in the right direction.
Budget for the next year or few years. This should be based on your financial forecast as well as your direction. Do you need to spend aggressively to develop your product? Build your team? Make a dent with marketing? Clarify your most important initiatives and how you’ll budget for those.
A high-level project roadmap . A project roadmap is a tool in project management that helps you visualize the timeline of a complex initiative, but you can also create a very high-level project roadmap for your strategic plan. Outline what you expect to be working on in certain quarters or years to make the plan more actionable and understandable.
Step 4: Implement and share your plan
Now it’s time to put your plan into action. Strategy implementation involves clear communication across your entire organization to make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and how to measure the plan’s success.
Make sure your team (especially senior leadership) has access to the strategic plan, so they can understand how their work contributes to company priorities and the overall strategy map. We recommend sharing your plan in the same tool you use to manage and track work, so you can more easily connect high-level objectives to daily work. If you don’t already, consider using a work management platform .
A few tips to make sure your plan will be executed without a hitch:
Communicate clearly to your entire organization throughout the implementation process, to ensure all team members understand the strategic plan and how to implement it effectively.
Define what “success” looks like by mapping your strategic plan to key performance indicators.
Ensure that the actions outlined in the strategic plan are integrated into the daily operations of the organization, so that every team member's daily activities are aligned with the broader strategic objectives.
Utilize tools and software—like a work management platform—that can aid in implementing and tracking the progress of your plan.
Regularly monitor and share the progress of the strategic plan with the entire organization, to keep everyone informed and reinforce the importance of the plan.
Establish regular check-ins to monitor the progress of your strategic plan and make adjustments as needed.
Step 5: Revise and restructure as needed
Once you’ve created and implemented your new strategic framework, the final step of the planning process is to monitor and manage your plan.
Remember, your strategic plan isn’t set in stone. You’ll need to revisit and update the plan if your company changes directions or makes new investments. As new market opportunities and threats come up, you’ll likely want to tweak your strategic plan. Make sure to review your plan regularly—meaning quarterly and annually—to ensure it’s still aligned with your organization’s vision and goals.
Keep in mind that your plan won’t last forever, even if you do update it frequently. A successful strategic plan evolves with your company’s long-term goals. When you’ve achieved most of your strategic goals, or if your strategy has evolved significantly since you first made your plan, it might be time to create a new one.
Build a smarter strategic plan with a work management platform
To turn your company strategy into a plan—and ultimately, impact—make sure you’re proactively connecting company objectives to daily work. When you can clarify this connection, you’re giving your team members the context they need to get their best work done.
A work management platform plays a pivotal role in this process. It acts as a central hub for your strategic plan, ensuring that every task and project is directly tied to your broader company goals. This alignment is crucial for visibility and coordination, allowing team members to see how their individual efforts contribute to the company’s success.
By leveraging such a platform, you not only streamline workflow and enhance team productivity but also align every action with your strategic objectives—allowing teams to drive greater impact and helping your company move toward goals more effectively.
Strategic planning FAQs
Still have questions about strategic planning? We have answers.
Why do I need a strategic plan?
A strategic plan is one of many tools you can use to plan and hit your goals. It helps map out strategic objectives and growth metrics that will help your company be successful.
When should I create a strategic plan?
You should aim to create a strategic plan every three to five years, depending on your organization’s growth speed.
Since the point of a strategic plan is to map out your long-term goals and how you’ll get there, you should create a strategic plan when you’ve met most or all of them. You should also create a strategic plan any time you’re going to make a large pivot in your organization’s mission or enter new markets.
What is a strategic planning template?
A strategic planning template is a tool organizations can use to map out their strategic plan and track progress. Typically, a strategic planning template houses all the components needed to build out a strategic plan, including your company’s vision and mission statements, information from any competitive analyses or SWOT assessments, and relevant KPIs.
What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. business plan?
A business plan can help you document your strategy as you’re getting started so every team member is on the same page about your core business priorities and goals. This tool can help you document and share your strategy with key investors or stakeholders as you get your business up and running.
You should create a business plan when you’re:
Just starting your business
Significantly restructuring your business
If your business is already established, you should create a strategic plan instead of a business plan. Even if you’re working at a relatively young company, your strategic plan can build on your business plan to help you move in the right direction. During the strategic planning process, you’ll draw from a lot of the fundamental business elements you built early on to establish your strategy for the next three to five years.
What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. mission and vision statements?
Your strategic plan, mission statement, and vision statements are all closely connected. In fact, during the strategic planning process, you will take inspiration from your mission and vision statements in order to build out your strategic plan.
Simply put:
A mission statement summarizes your company’s purpose.
A vision statement broadly explains how you’ll reach your company’s purpose.
A strategic plan pulls in inspiration from your mission and vision statements and outlines what actions you’re going to take to move in the right direction.
For example, if your company produces pet safety equipment, here’s how your mission statement, vision statement, and strategic plan might shake out:
Mission statement: “To ensure the safety of the world’s animals.”
Vision statement: “To create pet safety and tracking products that are effortless to use.”
Your strategic plan would outline the steps you’re going to take in the next few years to bring your company closer to your mission and vision. For example, you develop a new pet tracking smart collar or improve the microchipping experience for pet owners.
What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. company objectives?
Company objectives are broad goals. You should set these on a yearly or quarterly basis (if your organization moves quickly). These objectives give your team a clear sense of what you intend to accomplish for a set period of time.
Your strategic plan is more forward-thinking than your company goals, and it should cover more than one year of work. Think of it this way: your company objectives will move the needle towards your overall strategy—but your strategic plan should be bigger than company objectives because it spans multiple years.
What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. a business case?
A business case is a document to help you pitch a significant investment or initiative for your company. When you create a business case, you’re outlining why this investment is a good idea, and how this large-scale project will positively impact the business.
You might end up building business cases for things on your strategic plan’s roadmap—but your strategic plan should be bigger than that. This tool should encompass multiple years of your roadmap, across your entire company—not just one initiative.
What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. a project plan?
A strategic plan is a company-wide, multi-year plan of what you want to accomplish in the next three to five years and how you plan to accomplish that. A project plan, on the other hand, outlines how you’re going to accomplish a specific project. This project could be one of many initiatives that contribute to a specific company objective which, in turn, is one of many objectives that contribute to your strategic plan.
What’s the difference between strategic management vs. strategic planning?
A strategic plan is a tool to define where your organization wants to go and what actions you need to take to achieve those goals. Strategic planning is the process of creating a plan in order to hit your strategic objectives.
Strategic management includes the strategic planning process, but also goes beyond it. In addition to planning how you will achieve your big-picture goals, strategic management also helps you organize your resources and figure out the best action plans for success.
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5 Keys to Successful Execution of a Business Strategic Plan
With strategic planning, a lot more gets said than done. successful execution takes ruthless consistency..
In my years of advising business leaders, from entrepreneurs to enterprise executives, I often hear a passion for strategic change planning but seldom see the same commitment to strategic execution .
I fully understand that real change is hard, but I'm convinced that more focus on the execution is required to overcome the current 70 percent failure rate for strategic transformations.
While pulling together my thoughts on how to better implement change initiatives, I was happy to see some specific guidance in a new book, Ruthless Consistency , by Michael Canic, PhD. He brings a wealth of experience to the table, based on years of consulting work with middle-market companies around the world.
I support his summary of five key steps to get beyond the planning:
1. First check your view of the reality of your situation.
If you start with a distorted or biased view of what your company needs, no execution is likely to achieve the results that win. Also, if you are not totally committed in spirit, as well as resources, to a strategic change, it probably won't happen. Doing what it takes to win involves risk and sacrifice.
Another reality is that sending mixed messages to your team will kill your change effort quickly. If a change initiative is "highest priority" today, but another takes its place next week, people will not take you seriously. Consistency and attention to detail are critical.
2. Replace strategic planning with a change process.
Strategy must be a process, with an implementation system behind it, rather than just a periodic event. The process must focus not only on the "what" but also on the "how." This must include metrics and tracking, with the necessary systems and resources to act, recalibrate, and iterate as required.
A change process gives you and your team a structure for execution, and clears the desk of non-value-added activities to focus on the strategic work. It means applying rigor to the execution, and being prepared to pivot the initiative in an ever-changing marketplace.
3. Create the environment and equip people to succeed.
Strategic execution requires a business environment where everyone is on board, and able to complete their part of the process. Team members must be engaged and enabled to do the job -- that means aligned, equipped, coached, supported, and valued for the work and changes ahead.
Communicate with people, not at people, before, during, and after you develop any strategic initiative. Validate everything you do from their perspective, as well as yours. Give primary attention to those who are promoters of change, not the recalcitrant few.
4. Be selective in recruiting and building the right team.
Look for people with a growth mindset , rather than a fixed mindset that may be hard to change. Give special attention to traits that fit your specific customer context, or a higher purpose you espouse, such as a focus on the environment. Beware of biases that can work against strategic initiatives.
It is very important to regularly assess your selection process, and all new team members, at the end of each period. Team members who don't meet expectations must receive special coaching or be replaced before they negate other team member efforts.
5. Personalize your commitment and lead the initiative.
Don't allow yourself to be the enemy by letting external distractions take priority, being selectively inaccessible, or not making timely decisions. Control your ego, and practice being vulnerable at the right time to maintain their respect. Your team commitment must be evident and actions consistent.
Jeff Bezos , the legendary founder of Amazon, believes his commitment to his team is his key to sustained strategic leadership. He admits that he still has to sell his team on many of his biggest, boldest ideas, and he is indebted to them in keeping ahead of competitors.
In business, there are no guarantees of success, but the requirements for strategic change are certain. Whether you give only lip service to this requirement through strategic planning or implement a formal business infrastructure to attack these challenges consistently is up to you.
In my experience, the steps outlined here will definitely increase your odds of success and survival. Also remember that what you do and feel is not enough -- execution depends on team selection, engagement, and commitment.
It's up to you to align their hearts and minds on winning. Winning together is more fun anyway.
A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta
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What Is Business Execution and Why Does It Matter?
This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Execution" by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here .
What is business execution? Why must good business leaders learn to execute?
The term “execution” has a few different meanings when it comes to business. The definition we’re using is the one from Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan’s book Execution. According to the authors, business execution is a discipline that leaders must follow in order to advance the company’s goals.
Keep reading to learn about the meaning of execution in business, and why it’s so important.
What Is Execution in Business?
Contrary to what many people think, being a leader entails more than just casting a lofty vision, unveiling a grand strategy, and delivering inspirational speeches. Bossidy and Charan argue that effective leaders get their hands dirty through execution . Let’s explore what execution is and why it matters.
The Definition of Business Execution
So, what is business execution? Bossidy and Charan describe execution as a set of key systems and behaviors for a leader to implement at their company. It’s a discipline that requires leaders to constantly engage in actions and communications that advance company goals— not a checklist of tasks that a leader can delegate.
Ultimately, execution is the thread that ties together strategy, goals, and people in a successful company . In practice, it looks like motivated people collaborating, speaking candidly, and relentlessly seeking solutions to fulfill big goals, all led by their leader.
Not everyone defines execution in the same way as Bossidy and Charan. By their definition, creating strategy, defining goals, managing people, and coordinating operations fall under the “execution” umbrella. But, in , Chris McChesney, Jim Huling, and Sean Covey . However, McChesney, Huling, and Covey’s definition of execution doesn’t totally diverge from Bossidy and Charan’s. Similar to Bossidy and Charan, they describe people management as a key part of execution. This includes clearly communicating the company’s goals to all employees and identifying actionables so employees know what they need to do to achieve these goals. |
Why Execution Matters
We’ve explored what execution is—but, why does it matter? According to the authors, execution matters because it helps leaders construct strong, realistic strategies that lead to focused effort, bottom-line results, and motivated team members. When a leader is constantly assessing progress toward company goals, supporting free-flowing communication, and seeking real-time updates, they can create a strategy that reflects the company’s capabilities.
Bossidy and Charan note that execution also helps leaders to create strategies that mitigate known risks and advance the company’s interests. Leaders play a critical role in surfacing risks by staying vigilant and getting input and insights from people at all levels of the company. Leaders cannot possibly detect all risks from a single vantage point, so engaging with others through execution is essential to expanding their awareness.
As Bossidy and Charan caution, without execution, leaders often formulate strategies that look good on the surface but that their companies cannot realistically achieve. For example, imagine that before crafting a strategy, you research the competition, study market fluctuations, and analyze detailed financial data. The strategy looks sound and excites eager investors, but ultimately, the strategy fails.
Why? You didn’t execute effectively, meaning your view of your company’s capabilities and weaknesses wasn’t accurate. The production and sales teams were not in communication, the production team couldn’t fulfill the high volume of new orders that the sales team generated, and delays ruined the customer experience. And nobody told you there was a problem until it was too late to adjust.
When leaders and their companies fail to produce promised results as a result of poor execution, the consequences can be devastating. People can lose their jobs, investors might give up their stocks, and team members can become demoralized.
(Shortform note: That said, no matter how thorough you are in gathering information, assessing risks, and constructing realistic strategies through execution, failure is an inevitable part of doing business, which Bossidy and Charan don’t address. Failure may not be fun, but it can produce valuable benefits , such as sharpening your focus and boosting your credibility. Why does failure lead to those positive outcomes? When we fail, it often prompts us to revisit our purpose for being in business, which gives us an opportunity to ensure the trajectory of our company still aligns with our authentic vision. Also, when we’re forthcoming about our challenges and stories of perseverance, we become more relatable and trustworthy.)
Bossidy and Charan encourage leaders to use execution to constantly scan for risks to their company. But once you’ve identified these risks, how can you best manage them and avoid negative consequences for your company? One wise risk management strategy is to . This will help them make smart, risk-assessed decisions on a day-to-day basis. One way to train your employees in this area is to use simulations or scenarios of risky situations so they can practice making decisions in a safe training environment before facing them in real time on the job. Another way to handle risk management in your company is to . These experts can provide a degree of objectivity and can help you pinpoint options you might not have considered otherwise. Also, many professional risk managers employ sophisticated analytics tools that reveal ways to streamline your in ways that mitigate certain types of risk. |
The Benefits of Free-Flowing Communication
Further, because execution involves information-sharing, truth-telling, and collaboration, it keeps all the big players in a company aligned with its game plan and informed about what it’s going to take to fulfill that plan. When this information flows freely, Bossidy and Charan emphasize, team members can trust that the strategy is sound and the goals are attainable. They’ll be clear about their role in achieving the company’s goals and motivated to perform at a high level. When everyone in the company is engaged in this way, you’re likely to see the bottom-line results you want and need.
Many business leaders and analysts elaborate on the benefits of sharing information company-wide. In , Jocko Willink and explain that when everyone in a company is informed about its goals and respective roles in fulfilling those goals, as they work together for a shared purpose. Also, open communication . The more information employees have about a company’s , the more likely they are to generate innovative ideas to . And when they know they can speak freely with each other and with their managers, they’re more likely to identify and resolve conflicts quickly. Though Bossidy and Charan discuss the importance of sharing information internally with employees—particularly about the company strategy—they don’t address if and how to share information about strategy . In , author Joan Magretta writes of Porter’s view that . For example, you could make a bold public announcement that your company is planning to eventually launch a new product that—although more expensive—will last much longer. This would who recognize the value of saving money in the long term and would distinguish your company as forward-thinking and innovative. Going public with your strategy could also deter competitors from making a similar move, as they don’t want to deal with the hassle of vying with you for market share. |
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Like what you just read read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of larry bossidy and ram charan's "execution" at shortform ..
Here's what you'll find in our full Execution summary :
- What execution in business is and why it matters
- The three core functions that leaders must perform to execute well
- The three important qualities leaders must have to execute well
- ← How to Overcome the Intermittent Fasting Plateau
- How to Develop Discipline in Trading →
Hannah Aster
Hannah graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English and double minors in Professional Writing and Creative Writing. She grew up reading books like Harry Potter and His Dark Materials and has always carried a passion for fiction. However, Hannah transitioned to non-fiction writing when she started her travel website in 2018 and now enjoys sharing travel guides and trying to inspire others to see the world.
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Business Execution Plan
Do you belong to a few people who are interested in starting a new business ? If you are, then you’re either here looking for information that will help you in achieving your business goals, or you’re looking for fresh business ideas. Whichever your reason is, you are in the right place. Starting a business is not a typical task. It takes more than hard work for an individual to start a business successfully. So, if you want to start a new business, it’s time for you to learn about a business execution plan.
11+ Business Execution Plan Examples in PDF | MS Word
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What Is a Business Execution Plan?
A business execution plan is a type of document that is made by entrepreneurs who are planning to start a new business. It contains processes and strategies that are going to help them achieve the goals of the business execution plan. An entrepreneur must be careful and lenient in creating a business execution plan; this document must be void of any errors since it can cause problems that might be difficult to assess. Creating a new business is difficult work. A statista survey revealed that 45% agreed that starting a new business is very challenging. A business execution plan is not only for starting a new business but also for creating new business projects or ventures to expand the business ideals of a company or an individual. An entrepreneur must plan his or her business execution accordingly because a poor business execution plan might lead to the failure of the whole business project.
Factors To Consider In Creating a New Business or Project
There are a lot of key factors that you must consider before diving into the actual business execution plan. You must think and analyze it so that you will know what to do in the actual business execution. These are some of the key factors that you might want to consider:
1. Business Competitors
As you may know, you are not the only one who is thinking about starting a new business or creating a new project. There are many competitors in the business industry that you must be aware of so that you can be ahead of the competition. Observing and analyzing their business approach can be a huge advantage because you can use the information on creating a more strategic business plan .
2. Latest Trends
You must be updated to the latest business trends in the market so that you will have an insight as to what are the demands of the consumer. As an entrepreneur, you must know all about consumer demands because it is how you will gain customers by producing the products or services that they want.
3. Target Audience
Upon creating your new project or business, think about who will be your target customers so that you can have a plan on how to approach them accordingly. It is essential to plan who your target customers will be. It is one of the bases of creating a product or service that is in demand on your target consumers. For example, if your target audience is vegetarians, you must check what their demands are in the market. Then the information you gathered will be used in creating the product or service that vegetarians are requesting.
How To Create a Business Execution Plan
You can find many sample templates of the business execution plan online. But if you want to create your execution plan, here are some steps and guidelines for you to follow:
1. Gather Data and Information
In crafting your business execution plan, you must gather the right data and information that you’re going to need, such as the latest market and business trends. You need to do a lot of research so that you will have the right information that is going to be of significant use later as you execute your business plan.
2. Strategize
You must strategize every step you’re going to take in your business execution plan. Strategy execution is effective in achieving the goals of starting your new business or project. It covers all the essential aspects of risk factors that you might face upon developing your business execution plan.
3. Manage Your Resources
In creating your business execution plan, you must analyze if you have the right resources. Your resources can be your business capital or the material resources that you’re going to need in starting your new business. You must analyze if you have enough resources for your business execution plan so that you can implement the operations accordingly.
4. Develop a Prototype
Whether it is a new product or service you are creating, prototypes are essential in testing it out whether your target customers like what you have developed. You must create a prototype model for the sake of getting the feedback of your target audience. It is one of the easiest ways of determining the lacking elements of your product or service by asking for feedback from your customers. In that way, you can develop a better and improved version of your product or service.
5. Create a Timeline
You must keep track of how many working days you need to have in order to finish a particular operation. A timeline is a helpful tool in managing the time for the different tasks and processes in your business execution plan. It helps you in finishing specific tasks so that you will not be behind the schedule of executing your new business ventures.
Can I hire a project manager for my business execution plan?
Yes, a project manager has the skills and abilities to handle project management . They can give you insights and advice on the easiest paths to take to achieve success for your new business.
What is a startup business?
A startup business means that a company or organization is new to the industry and is still in the first stages of business development. This type of business is focused on developing products or services that are in demand of the consumers.
How can I keep up with the new business trends?
You can keep up with the latest business trends by doing innovative operations. Instead of focusing on creating new products and services, you can make use of the old ones and apply innovative concepts so that you can keep up with the latest trends.
A business execution plan is part of the entrepreneurship journey. Entrepreneurs always make a business execution plan for a new business or developing a new project. This type of document is essential in business because it covers all the important aspects and acts as risk management upon the development of a new business venture. A business execution plan is a solid foundation for creating new and fresh business ideas.
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Lean Business Planning
Get what you want from your business.
Business Plan Execution. Get Specific.
The business plan execution specifics are my favorite part of business planning, and especially lean business planning. This is the real plan, what’s actually going to happen. It includes at least these four elements:
Review Schedule . Make sure you schedule monthly plan review sessions in advance. Think of something like the third Thursday of every month. Even if it’s just you. Click here for more on this.
Identifying and Listing Assumptions . When assumptions change, the plan should change. If you don’t list your assumptions then you don’t know. Identity and list your business plan assumptions so you can refer back to them. It’s the key to knowing when to change the plan and when to stay the course. Click here for more on this.
Milestones . List specific activities, responsibilities, tasks, dates, deadlines, and budgets. We humans work better towards specific concrete goals, like reaching some number, or some event, that we can keep track of. Click here for more on this.
Metrics . Devise specific performance metrics that can be measured, tracked, and managed. These are numbers that people can see and compare. Click here for more on this.
These business plan execution specifics are the key to making a business plan useful. Remember, it’s steering your business that matters.
“Good business plans are nine parts execution for every one part strategy.” — Tim Berry Tweet
“Measure the value of a plan by the execution it causes.” — Tim Berry Tweet
“What doesn’t get measured, doesn’t get done.” Tweet
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Business Plan Executive Summary Example & Template
Updated: Jun 3, 2024, 1:03pm
Table of Contents
Components of an executive summary, how to write an executive summary, example of an executive summary, frequently asked questions.
A business plan is a document that you create that outlines your company’s objectives and how you plan to meet those objectives. Every business plan has key sections such as management and marketing. It should also have an executive summary, which is a synopsis of each of the plan sections in a one- to two-page overview. This guide will help you create an executive summary for your business plan that is comprehensive while being concise.
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The executive summary should mimic the sections found in the business plan . It is just a more concise way of stating what’s in the plan so that a reader can get a broad overview of what to expect.
State the company’s mission statement and provide a few sentences on what the company’s purpose is.
Company History and Management
This section describes the basics of where the company is located, how long it has been in operation, who is running it and what their level of experience is. Remember that this is a summary and that you’ll expand on management experience within the business plan itself. But the reader should know the basics of the company structure and who is running the company from this section.
Products or Services
This section tells the reader what the product or service of the company is. Every company does something. This is where you outline exactly what you do and how you solve a problem for the consumer.
This is an important section that summarizes how large the market is for the product or service. In the business plan, you’ll do a complete market analysis. Here, you will write the key takeaways that show that you have the potential to grow the business because there are consumers in the market for it.
Competitive Advantages
This is where you will summarize what makes you better than the competitors. Identify key strengths that will be reasons why consumers will choose you over another company.
Financial Projections
This is where you estimate the sales projections for the first years in business. At a minimum, you should have at least one year’s projections, but it may be better to have three to five years if you can project that far ahead.
Startup Financing Requirements
This states what it will cost to get the company launched and running. You may tackle this as a first-year requirement or if you have made further projections, look at two to three years of cost needs.
The executive summary is found at the start of the business plan, even though it is a summary of the plan. However, you should write the executive summary last. Writing the summary once you have done the work and written the business plan will be easier. After all, it is a summary of what is in the plan. Keep the executive summary limited to two pages so that it doesn’t take someone a long time to peruse what the summary says.
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It might be easier to write an executive summary if you know what to expect. Here is an example of an executive summary that you can use as a template.
Bottom Line
Writing an executive summary doesn’t need to be difficult if you’ve already done the work of writing the business plan itself. Take the elements from the plan and summarize each section. Point out key details that will make the reader want to learn more about the company and its financing needs.
How long is an executive summary?
An executive summary should be one to two pages and no more. This is just enough information to help the reader determine their overall interest in the company.
Does an executive summary have keywords?
The executive summary uses keywords to help sell the idea of the business. As such, there may be enumeration, causation and contrasting words.
How do I write a business plan?
If you have business partners, make sure to collaborate with them to ensure that the plan accurately reflects the goals of all parties involved. You can use our simple business plan template to get started.
What basic items should be included in a business plan?
When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business, an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.
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How to Write an Execution Plan
by David Weedmark
Published on 30 Jun 2019
When it comes to planning a new business or launching a new endeavor, an execution plan is where the pedal hits the metal. While a business plan outlines your entire business and a financial plan shows where the money will come from and go, the execution plan outlines what specifically needs to be done and when. You can think of an execution plan as your how-to guide for your business. It's the tool you will use to review your critical goals or milestones, as well as to track specific tasks to ensure that everything is on track, on time and on budget.
The Three Essential Components of an Execution Plan
An execution plan consists of three components: milestones, tasks and budgets. Milestones are your key business goals. These are the goals that, should you miss one, your business endeavor will fail. Tasks are the specific things you need to do in order to reach each milestone. The third component, your budget, details how much your plan will cost.
Business Execution Plan Milestones
Milestones will vary, depending on the nature of your business and the market you are entering. If you are in the life sciences or pharmaceutical industry, for example, milestones will likely include clinical trials and FDA approval. In "The Art of the Start," Guy Kawasaki offers a list of milestones any business in the tech industry should consider using, but these can be adopted for any company developing a new product:
- Prove your concept works, both technically and as a business.
- Finish your design specifications.
- Create a working prototype.
- Raise capital.
- Ship a testable version of your product to your first customers.
- Ship the final version of your product to customers.
- Reach a break-even point in sales.
Each milestone should include the budget required for it to be reached, the target date, as well as any resources you need, including people. If you do need to raise capital, you will want to share these milestones with potential investors
Business Execution Plan Tasks
Tasks are the important details that are required to ensure your execution reaches each milestone. While it may be tempting to leave tasks out that seem obvious, documenting each important task will ensure that nothing is left to chance, which can easily happen when you soon find yourself working 12 to 18 hours each day to get your business launched. Just like the milestones, each task should include the resources needed to complete it.
In addition to many other tasks, most businesses would require these to be done in order to get up and running:
- Incorporate your company.
- Lease office space.
- Contact three key vendors.
- Set up an accounting system.
- Hire a lawyer.
- File legal and tax documents.
- Buy liability insurance.
- Design a logo.
- Create a website.
Tasks are usually used only by yourself and your team, however, there are occasions when specific tasks may need to be shared with investors. Investors, for example, may want to see that liability insurance has been purchased or that intellectual property rights have been protected before they will invest.
Some tasks may need to be broken down into additional tasks. If you're starting a landscaping company, having a website may be a single task, but if your website is central to your business, like an e-commerce website, it may require more attention to detail:
- Choose and register a domain name.
- Select a web host.
- Select a payment plugin or service.
- Hire a graphic designer.
- Finish the homepage.
- Create the first sales landing page.
- Set up analytics.
It's also important, however, not to include micro-tasks. For example, leasing an office could be broken down into a half-dozen steps, like calling a realtor, meeting the realtor, visiting the first, second and third offices, etc. It may give you a feeling of satisfaction to check off a bunch of tasks as being completed, but you risk losing sight of the big picture: your milestones.
Digital Marketing Execution Plan
Execution plans aren't just for launching a business. They can be used for any new project or endeavor. To see what's behind a comprehensive execution plan, let's use digital marketing as an example. Digital marketing strategies can include several different components, depending on your needs and resources. These can include:
- Email marketing: such as MailChimp, AWeber, etc.
- Social media marketing: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.
- Search and display marketing: Google search or search engine optimization (SEO).
- Video marketing: YouTube, Vimeo.
- Mobile marketing: Google Maps.
Many small businesses make the mistake of trying to work on too many strategies at once. While straining their resources, they get dismal results across the board, like a few dozen Facebook likes, a couple of hundred YouTube views and website content that is stuck on page two or three of Google's search results. Developing an execution plan will ensure that you have the resources to work on your strategy successfully. If you're lacking in resources, you can adjust your milestones accordingly to focus on those that are most important to your business.
Example of a Digital Marketing Execution Plan
Suppose you are a sole proprietor with a website selling informative e-books and you have decided to work on your digital marketing. Because your time and budget are limited, you have decided to focus primarily on email marketing, social media marketing and SEO.
Ideally, the three strategies will all interconnect. Better SEO and increased social media activity should increase website traffic, resulting in more email subscribers. More email subscribers should increase web traffic and social media views as well as give you your most important milestone: a spike in online sales.
Digital Marketing Strategy Milestones
- Double current online sales in the next year.
- Increase website traffic from organic searches by 50 percent in the next six months. Researching keywords and developing content should take two hours each day.
- Triple current email subscribers in six months This will require approximately eight hours initially to set up and two hours per week thereafter. Budget: $400.
- Increase Facebook likes by 50 percent in the six months This will require 30 minutes each day.
- Increase Instagram followers by 100 percent in the three months, which will also require 30 minutes each day, with a budget of $200 for Instagram ads in the second month.
Digital Market Strategy Budget
The financial budget is $600 initially. The first expenditure will be in the first month, with a cost of $400 for an annual subscription to an email marketing service. Another $200 will be spent in the second month on Instagram ads. If the ads prove successful, then a percentage of increased sales will be put into future advertising on Instagram or another platform.
The time budget is, on average, two hours each day . Half of that will be spent on developing quality website content, while the other half will be spent on email and social media marketing.
Email Marketing Tasks
Task 1: Select an email marketing service that doesn't exceed our $400 annual budget.
Task 2: Set up and configure the new service.
Task 3: Replace current email subscribe buttons on the website with a pop-up.
Task 4: Set up 12 emails to send out monthly.
Task 5: Invite current subscribers to our new service.
Task 6: (recurring) Review marketing weekly and develop additional email content as needed.
(Note that you would need an additional set of tasks for each of the other milestones.)
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4 Steps to Successful Execution of a Strategy An entrepreneur's best-laid plans can go awry if there's not careful followup. Here's a framework for giving your startup a greater chance at prevailing.
By Jesse Torres Edited by Dan Bova Sep 8, 2014
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Every year millions of entrepreneurs come up with great ideas. And every year they spend countless hours creating and re-creating detailed business and strategic plans. Often most of this effort goes to waste as entrepreneurs fail to follow through on their own well thought-out plans.
"A lot of organizations put great strategies together but they don't follow through," said Bahaa Moukadam, founder and head coach at SeeMetrics Partners, during a recent interview on my radio show Money Talk . "Eighty-percent of them fail at the execution part of the strategy."
Indeed, Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, in their book Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done , said the key to proper execution lies in three core areas: people, strategy and operations. "The people process is more important than either the strategy or operations processes," they wrote. "After all, it's the people of an organization who make judgments about how markets are changing, create strategies based on those judgments, and translate the strategies into operational realities."
Execution done right is a disciplined process, a logical set of connected activities by an organization to make a strategy work.
"Without a careful, planned approach to execution, strategic goals cannot be attained," wrote Lawrence G. Hrebiniak , in Making Strategy Work: Leading Effective Execution and Change . "Developing such a logical approach, however, represents a formidable challenge to management."
Many entrepreneurs allow themselves to become swept up in putting out fires instead of executing their plans. Moukadam pointed out that most entrepreneurs fail at execution due to a lack of "a framework or methodology in place that is repeatable." These executives need to connect their strategy to the individual goals of each employee. Here's his simple four-step process to help entrepreneurs execute their strategies:
Related: Does Your Startup Have a Strategy?
1. Set clear priorities.
Entrepreneurs might fail in carrying out their strategy if they set too many priorities. Establish only one priority at a time along with supporting initiatives. For example, a priority might be penetrating a new territory. Supporting initiatives could be leasing an office, hiring staff and initiating a marketing plan.
Having too many priorities is like trying to keep too many balls in the air. Then it's problematic if only one gets focused on. Chances are good that eventually all the balls fall to the ground.
2. Collect and analyze data.
Entrepreneurs often specify measurable goals in their strategic plans. But once the planning process is a wrap, the document might be set on a shelf and not revisited for quite a long time.
A key to ensuring execution is staying on top of results. Entrepreneurs should develop key performance indicators (or KPIs) that can be measured and monitored on an ongoing basis. They need to procure operating data related to these indicators and evaluate results on schedule (daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly).
The executives should evaluate what's working and continue these proceses and enhance them to boost performance. With failing results, they should determine what processes don't work and make immediate adjustments to prevent further deterioration.
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3. Keep a rhythm to meetings.
Without continuous communication, employees can lose touch with an entrepreneur's goals and objectives. Over time employees, and even the entrepreneur, can veer off course. This leads to poor results, which can have a disastrous effect on an organization.
To ensure that the entire organization keeps in sync with the entrepreneur's vision and strategic plan, the staff should gather periodically for different types of update meetings.
Daily huddles should take place within operational groups at the start of the day and last no more than 15 minutes. Such daily meetings aim to ensure that everyone is on the same page and aware of important recent developments such as performance updates, price changes, new products or media reports.
The daily huddle can provide rapid-fire updates specifically tailored to the group. The entrepreneur can oversee the daily huddles at small companies. In larger organizations, line managers should take responsibility.
Moukadam recommends that each meeting conclude with a review of what was decided, who's responsible for delivering what and when it's due or a "WWW summary." This summary should be created at the meeting and delivered immediately by email or other means to ensure that salient points are kept top of mind.
4. Evaluate the strategy.
The entrepreneur should also meet with the executive team and key management personnel on a monthly or quarterly basis to evaluate the progress with the strategic plan. These strategic meetings should be more in-depth and designed to determine if changes are required.
The periodic strategic meetings should discuss strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (or SWOT). They can help executives determine if the strategy's soundness in light of changes within the organization, industry and economy. The meetings should aim to exploit strengths and opportunities while mitigating weaknesses and threats.
Entrepreneurs can also wield another important tool: a one-page strategic plan. All the essential elements of the strategic plan are boiled down into one page -- and give to all employees. A benefit of this information sharing is that employees will feel like they are contributing to the organization's overall success and will feel excited, motivated and engaged.
Business owners must be careful, however, that the one-page strategic plan doesn't disclose company secrets and other intellectual property. Do a careful review of the one-page strategic plan prior to its release.
Related: How Fortune 500 Leaders Spend Every Minute of the Day (Infographic)
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What is an execution plan?
The execution plan is the “how-to” for your venture. It is a necessary input to your financial plan , slide pitch deck and business plan . It should also be a tool that you use with your team on a regular basis to manage the business, to communicate your critical goals and timing of deliverables, and to celebrate your successes.
What are the elements of an execution plan?
A good execution plan covers milestones and tasks for your business to achieve as well as what resources will be required to make them happen.
Milestones are the goals critical to the success of any new venture. In The Art of the Start, Guy Kawasaki provides this simple list which applies generically to all technology-oriented ventures:
- prove your concept (both technical and business model)
- complete design specifications
- finish a prototype
- raise capital
- ship a testable version to customers
- ship the final version to customers
- achieve break-even
These milestones can vary significantly in time and scope from business to business and will be generally broken down into additional steps for your internal team. For example, in a biopharmaceutical life sciences company, it may take many years to complete the design and testing process for products that will be injected into or ingested by humans, while a mobile software application may only take several months of effort to rapidly prototype an early version of a product to send to friendly customers for testing. For each milestone, you will need to determine the amount of resources (headcount and other expenses) required, and the approximate timing involved. This information will be used to develop your financing plan for the business and to determine the type of investor you should approach about funding the next investment round, based on your development stage .
A list of tasks helps you appreciate everything that your organization needs to accomplish and is a means to ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks in the early days. Task lists might include:
- incorporating your business
- renting office space
- finding and engaging key vendors
- setting up accounting and payroll systems
- securing employment agreements with key personnel
- filing legal and taxation documents
- purchasing insurance policies
- setting up your website
For each task, you will also need to make sure that the resources required to complete the task are included in your financial plan. The task list is generally an internal tool, although some of the tasks may appear on an investor’s due diligence list. For example, investors tend to review the terms of employment agreements to confirm that the company’s intellectual property rights have been adequately protected, so you’ll need those documents in place. Some tasks may also form part of the conditions under which an investor is willing to proceed with an investment. For example, an investor is unlikely to be willing to serve on your board of directors unless the company provides a minimum level of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.
Kawasaki, G. (2004). The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything . Toronto: Penguin Canada.
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How to Write a Project Execution Plan (With Best Practices)
Every project needs a plan which guides the execution of the project. In project management, that plan is known as a project execution plan. This contains everything about the project, from the project’s scope to the project’s deliverable.
One of the major reasons why projects fail is due to poor planning. Many project managers do not create the necessary documents that help to ensure the successful execution of the project. The majority of project managers fail to break down large projects into smaller tasks for easy execution.
Creating a project execution plan is a valuable tool for effectively implementing your tasks or project. Understanding the project execution plan is essential for the project team to ensure they can satisfactorily meet the project’s goals and the expectations of clients.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know to create a project execution plan including its purpose and elements.
Let’s get started.
What is a Project Execution Plan?
A project execution plan is essential for the effective implementation of a project. The creation of a project execution plan helps outline the required tasks to be completed, deliverables, and resources available in aiding the completion process.
Properly and thoroughly understanding the various elements that make up the project execution plan helps the project team meet its pre-set goals and objectives.
A project execution plan is a detailed document that shows how the project team plans to achieve set tasks. This details specific targets of the project and the means of accomplishing these set goals. A project execution plan often acts as a guide for the operation and management of the project process.
Why You Need a Project Execution Plan
A project execution plan is a document that harmonizes pre-harnessed plans and goals with the sole aim of properly implementing them in the project process. It carefully maps out how to execute and overcome various plans and setbacks encountered in the course of the project process.
- To Meet Project's Deliverables: The goal of every well-drawn-up project execution plan is to ensure the project reaches its completion stage. On the road to completion, the project makes vital stops at delivering crucial deliverables (milestones) along the way.
- Track Project’s Progress: There are various project progress indicators that aim to measure the progress made during the project execution phase. A project execution plan helps you track your project’s progress.
- Counter Setbacks: The project execution plan does not just detail the best approach to successfully implement the project’s plan and objectives alone. It also makes accommodation for eventualities that might disrupt the smooth and timely completion of the project. Measures for effectively tackling possible setbacks are in the project execution plan.
- Assign Tasks: With the project execution plan, you can assign various tasks to respective project team members. This aims to carry everyone along in the project process journey.
Elements of a Project Execution Plan
A project execution plan has various elements that allow it to create a definitive and actionable implementation and execution plan. Consider the following elements when creating a project execution plan.
1. Project Scope
Drawing out a clearly defined scope is an important element of the project execution plan. Defining the project’s scope entails pointing out and listing the aims and objectives of the project.
The project scope often aims to educate stakeholders with an overview of the project's purpose and goals. You have to consider some factors when creating a befitting project’s scope.
- Project’s statement of work
- Project’s limitations and boundaries
- Project’s timeline and milestones
- Project’s final deliverables
- Project’s criteria for success
2. Project Goals
A project execution plan includes goal statements that clearly define the project’s expected goals and objectives . This lists out the purpose of the project, expected benefits of the project, deliverables, milestones as well as the project timeline and schedule.
3. Allocation of Resources
The list of available resources and details of their allocation is in the project execution plan. This details the needs of the project team for the successful completion of the project.
Resources available for a project usually include capital, human resources, material goods, and all the essential elements needed for the success of the project. Proper allocation of resources ensures the project meets the desired standards expected by the project’s stakeholders.
4. Project Scheduling
Scheduling is instrumental to every project execution plan. It acts as an effective guide during the project tenure. Most project managers often opt to divide the entire project tasks into smaller and less complex portions. Create milestones and deadlines to map out laudable achievements along the project’s life cycle.
During the project’s life cycle, scope creeps situations often arise that necessitate changes in the project schedule. You need to prepare all project stakeholders for these eventualities.
The project manager is responsible for making significant adjustments to the goals. He or she has to ensure there is no direct impact on the project schedule by these eventualities.
Some of the best project scheduling software you can use to schedule your projects include Monday.com, ClickUp, Wrike, Smartsheet, and Teamwork.
5. Project Organizational Components
Components and details of the project organization are critical as it helps to streamline important details of the project execution plan.
- Important Stakeholders Information: Detailing out each project stakeholder's unique and collective role and responsibility to the project process is important. This aims to ensure the authoritative process and structure of the project team are not confused.
- Decision-Making Roles: The proper identification of the various roles each project stakeholder has to play in the project is pivotal to ensuring proper cohesion among team members. Properly detail the chain of command in the project execution plan to leave no room for disorganization.
- Methods: The organization of a project involves various methods varying from coordination to reporting and monitoring.
- Approach Toward Team Involvement: Developing the right approach towards team performance on tasks is pivotal to a successful implementation of the project execution plan. The choice is always between whether to stick with individual tasks or arrange team members into groups and assign tasks as teams.
How to Create a Project Execution Plan
In a bid to write efficient and well-detailed project execution plans, you need to make lots of considerations in the overall decision-making process to ensure timely delivery of the project.
Step 1: Starting the Execution Process with a Project Kickoff Meeting
The first step to creating a good project execution plan is to ensure all project members are on board and agree on the next course of action. After the successful completion of the project planning process, the need arises for the implementation of the set plans.
This next stage is where the need for a project execution plan comes in. Ensure the plan for the implementation of strategies that are widely understood and accepted by all project stakeholders.
The project manager needs to call a project kickoff meeting aimed at proposing and settling differences that may arise in the course of creating the project execution plan. Projects can be complex. The project team needs all the available and necessary help they can get.
A project execution plan meeting should focus on getting the project stakeholders to agree on important details like the project's timelines, deliverables, scope, and budgets. Once the important details of the project execution plan have been deliberated and agreed on, the project can then move on to the next phase of implementing the agreed plans.
The easiest, stress-free, and efficient way of implementing the project execution plan is through the use of project management software . These applications help in monitoring the project in real-time on commencement.
They also help in keeping track of everything surrounding the project execution plan and the implementation process, from the objectives and budgets down to risks and deliverables.
Step 2: Monitoring and Controlling Risk Factors
As often experienced in all projects, the appearance of various risks aiming at impeding the project process is inevitable. However, the presence of a well-detailed project execution plan helps to cushion its effects.
Every project execution plan should contain measures in place to counteract such risks as they arise. The best way to counteract and manage these risks as they surface is to:
- Seek Solutions from Experienced Stakeholders: Interview project stakeholders with prior knowledge on the complexities of this type of project and find out about their assessment of the various risks which have affected their handling of the previous organization or team's projects.
- Identify Risks: You can identify risks before they occur through the use of an efficient situational analysis framework structure aimed at predicting the likely occurrence of risk factors. Create a list of any possible risk factors that could harm the project and efficiently create measures to counteract their effect. The harder and more damaging risk factors should be acted upon first. In the eventuality that something goes wrong, the complex and more damaging risks are already out of the way and the project process is likely near the completion stage.
- Proper Project Planning: Properly analyze project planning documentation in a bid to identify the inherent risks associated with the project process.
Monitoring risks can be a time-consuming and disheartening process. Using web-based project management software and tools helps to make the seemingly time-consuming and stressful process a lighter experience.
Online project management software tools help by providing heads up on the possible risk factors that may arise during the project process. They detail the possible impact it might have on the project.
Step 3: Managing All Activities in Real-Time
Periodic and regular tracking of the project is paramount to the successful completion of the project process. It is difficult to track project deliverables and budgets without setting up proper progress trackers which helps to spot problems out in real-time.
Project tracking software helps you track your projects and prevents you from missing out on crucial deadlines.
The managing process of your project often involves the need to have regular check-ins with project team members. This helps project managers have an idea of the happenings around the project process. The two best ways of managing the activities of your project process in real-time during the project execution phase are daily check-ins and regular progress meetings.
- Daily Check-Ins: Project managers should ensure they inculcate the culture of checking in daily with members of the project team. This aims at ensuring the members of the project team are accountable. It allows project managers to regularly track the progress of the project.
- Regular Progress Meetings: Carry out regular and periodic progress meetings where discussions on the project’s timelines, progress, milestones, and potential issues arising are the main items on the agenda of the meetings.
Step 4: Check Everything Before You Deliver The Project
The final and concluding step of the project execution phase is to ensure everything concerning the project is in order and you are signing off on the right track.
Project managers are responsible for testing, accepting, and approving every aspect of the execution process before successfully delivering the deliverable to the project sponsor or client. They have to ensure the to-be handed-over project is completely free and devoid of errors and mistakes. The benefits of a well-planned project plan are visible in this final stage as there is no pressure on project managers to hasten project processes due to the worry of late deliverables and bloated budgets. Project managers will have enough time to carry out much-needed final checks on the project to ensure it is error-free.
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Anastasia has been a professional blogger and researcher since 2014. She loves to perform in-depth software reviews to help software buyers make informed decisions when choosing project management software, CRM tools, website builders, and everything around growing a startup business.
Anastasia worked in management consulting and tech startups, so she has lots of experience in helping professionals choosing the right business software.
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How to Execute a Plan Successfully (Tools & Templates Included)
Planning is everything. Without a plan you’re working in the dark. But the plan is only the beginning. The real work begins when executing that plan. Learn how to execute a plan to deliver a successful project.
How to Execute a Plan in 8 Steps
Once you’ve put the time and effort into creating the plan, you need to execute it. That means doing the tasks in such a way that you don’t spend over your budget and miss your deadline. Follow these eight steps to ensure a successfully executed project.
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Action Plan Template
Use this free Action Plan Template for Excel to manage your projects better.
1. Identify the Goals & Objectives of Your Plan
You’ve already identified the goals and objectives of the project and created a project plan to achieve them. Now that you’re executing that plan, always keep those goals and objectives in mind and make sure the project is working towards reaching them.
2. Map Out Tasks On a Timeline
To make sure that all the tasks are completed by the deadline, you’ve organized them by priority and have mapped them on a timeline . As you execute the project, refer back to that timeline to make sure that the tasks are completed in a timely manner.
3. Assemble a Team
The plan can’t be executed without a team. They are your most valuable resource. Choose your team wisely. They should have the skills and experience necessary to complete the project and jell as a team to work collaboratively.
4. Assign Tasks to Team Members
Once you have the team, assign them tasks according to their abilities. Make sure you give them direction, but also ownership of the work. Be available to answer any questions and get feedback from them.
5. Track Your Team’s Progress
As the team works on their tasks, you’ll want to keep track of their progress and performance. If you see them falling behind it might be necessary to reallocate resources to get the project back on track.
6. Control Costs & Risks
Also, monitor how much money the project is spending. You’ll need to control those costs to keep them aligned with the budget . You should have identified risks when planning. Now you want to keep an eye out for any issues that arise and quickly resolve them.
7. Communicate with Your Team
Stay in communication with your team. They will have questions about tasks and can provide feedback from the front lines of the project. The more open communication is in both directions, the better for the health of the project.
8. Measure the Success of Your Execution
Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to track your project . They are also helpful as success criteria.
Tips to Execute a Plan
The planning phase is the backbone that holds up any project. Jennifer Bridges, PMP, shows you how to take your project plan and execute it right.
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What Tools Can You Use to Execute a Plan?
Project management tools are ideal to track the execution of any type of plan. Let’s see how project management tools that can help you stay on track.
Gantt Charts
The Gantt chart is a scheduling tool that has a spreadsheet on the left and a timeline on the right where you can see the entire project, including dependencies, milestones and more. You can track progress on the Gantt chart, but there will undoubtedly be changes to the project plan.
A digital Gantt chart, like the one in ProjectManager’s software, makes adjusting the scheduling easy. Just drag and drop the task to the new start date or deadline. All the other tasks are adjusted automatically.
Project Dashboards
The monitoring and controlling phase of a project occurs simultaneously with the execution of the project. Using a project dashboard provides a high-level view of the project whenever you want. Unlike light-weight competitors, ProjectManager has real-time dashboards that don’t require time-consuming set up. You can use it right away to monitor time, cost, workload and more.
Kanban Boards
Gantt charts usually have more information that a project team needs when executing its tasks. Kanban boards are a great tool for teams in that they allow them to manage their backlog and collaborate when planning sprints. The visual workflow of the kanban board is also great for managers who get an overview of the production cycle and can identify and remove bottlenecks before they cause problems.
Free Planning Templates
ProjectManager has all the tools listed above and more, but if you’re not ready to upgrade yet we also offer dozens of free project management templates for Excel and Work for all phases of a project that you can download right now. Here are a few that can help when executing your project.
Our free action plan template for Excel can be used to plan and execute projects. It breaks the project down into phases, tasks, assignees and more. You can even track time and costs.
To-Do List Template
If your project isn’t that complex or if team members want to manage their tasks, our free to-do list template for Excel is a great help. Not only does it list your tasks, including start and end dates, but you can see the percentage complete to ensure you’re staying on schedule.
RACI Matrix Template
To successfully execute a project you need to identify and assign the roles and responsibilities of the team. Our free RACI matrix template for Excel helps you do this by indicating who is responsible, accountable, consulted and informed.
So as you can see there’s so much more than just executing the plan. So if you need a tool that can help you execute your plan successfully, then sign up for our software now at ProjectManager .
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Three Keys to Effective Execution
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by Melissa Raffoni Strategic planning gets all the cachet and all the ink, but the most creative, visionary strategic planning is useless if it isn’t translated into action. Especially now, in a sluggish economy, execution takes on greater importance. It’s what separates the companies that prosper in hard times from the ones that go under. […]
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How to create a project execution plan (PEP) in 6 steps
What is a project execution plan?
Why is a project execution plan necessary, what goes into a project execution plan.
- steps to create a project execution plan
Facilitate project planning and client communication
Many projects set themselves up to fail through improper planning, poor communication, or competing expectations on how processes should be conducted.
A project execution plan is a valuable tool that helps avoid these problems, offering a better likelihood of project success. Through this article, we will help you understand what exactly a project execution plan is, how it functions, and how to write one so that you give yourself and your team the tools to collaborate and make sure there's a smooth process throughout the project's duration.
A project execution plan (PEP) is the governing document that outlines the overall project scope as well as quality, technical, and contractual specifications. Also included in the contents of a PEP are resource allocation and delegation, budget, project timeline, a goal-based schedule, and communication plans between project team members. These plans are often considered a living document that you should update as the project develops to provide an accurate and helpful project baseline.
This information is consolidated into a reusable, readable, and concise project execution plan template. Your template may be specific to certain projects, whether it be researched-based, engineering, software, contracting, or another subdivision of work. In essence, a PEP is your game plan — a step-by-step outline that ensures that everyone involved in the project is oriented towards a common goal to ensure a successful project execution.
With larger projects especially, a project execution strategy helps ensure that project deliverables, often coming from multiple people and sources, match the expectation of the program manager and client's project assumptions for quality assurance. With that, a PEP will also communicate a complete implementation plan for the project execution phase and dictate what the final product will look like — be it a presentation, research article, or project report.
Another similar work breakdown structure (WBS) is much more oriented toward the tasks that specific team members will take on and focuses on efficiently breaking projects into smaller deliverable pieces. Consider what fits your team's needs best and help you fill execution gaps for your integrated project team.
The strength of a PEP is that all participants in your group have the same information on schedule baselines, scope baselines, and other project specifications. Being on the same page helps the group unite under a common goal by using the PEP as the primary communication vehicle for project details and timelines. Consider using a PEP to facilitate larger projects of greater complexity, especially if you plan to or have already divided the project into smaller project deliverables to delegate to your team. In essence, a PEP is a contingency from an absence of common understanding; it is there to mitigate the variables.
You should discuss your PEP with project stakeholders to delineate a clear plan on their end for expectations on total project cost estimates, parameters, and other higher-level constraints. You should include the cost baseline of your PEP in your project scope. By clearing your project controls and plans in accordance with what your stakeholders want, you prevent miscommunications that can lead to needing to make sweeping, disastrous changes down the road.
There are a few different elements that go into a PEP to help ensure the best project performance:
1. Project scope
The project scope defines the broad vital elements of your PEP. Often a project scope will include information on the project's description and purpose, resources allocated, budget, constraints, assumptions, project timeline, procurement strategies, and how you will measure success.
Your team and project sponsors should have agreed-upon expectations. To understand what falls in the purview of the scope, you should concretely define what will not be included in your project. Omission of particular items in your PEP will guide your project team to work within specific parameters, preventing scope-creep and tacked-on tasks after the planning and design phase.
2. Project goals
In your PEP, establish the goals for the project, its purpose, when it is considered complete, and how you will measure success. Success in this context is often measured against KPIs included in the final deliverable. For example, you may state the need for market-based research for establishing a business. It is agreed upon between you and the project stakeholder that you will present the findings of this research in a two-thousand-word written deliverable. In this example, we have established what is needed, what the final deliverable will look like, what is considered finished, and the final intent.
3. Technical requirements
Once you have outlined the general goal, you can develop those goals further with actual, measurable specifics and add definitions. This section is the nitty-gritty of your PEP. In our previous example about the need for market-based research, we can elaborate that this research should involve tracking buying trends within a specific time frame or conducting surveys. Include a deadline and project milestones to track your progress. The format of the final deliverable, the word count, and what information will be included are examples of some technical requirements.
4. Resource allocation
You may think of resource allocation as refining and specifying the person-hours and tangible resources required of your project. Consider the resources you will need, such as staff, any special knowledge or skill someone on your team might need, time restraints, equipment on hand to carry out specific tasks, and any finances allocated towards attaining additional tools or equipment.
5. Project schedule and timelines
Project timelines can be thought of in two broad categories—deadline of the final deliverable and, as previously stated, having project milestones; each informs the other. Once tasks are delegated amongst your team in your resource allocation section, your project can function as multiple smaller projects running parallel toward the same goal. To track overall progress, consider cross-team milestones with helpful KPIs. Once smaller tasks are delegated amongst a project team, a project leader may incorporate these cross-team milestones to generate enthusiasm and camaraderie.
6 steps to create a project execution plan
Here's an outline of rough steps to begin creating your PEP.
1. Collect feedback from the team
Clear communication and expectations are essential to the execution and success of any project. Establish KPIs to track progress and consider each individual's skills and knowledge and inform a more efficient workflow. Before solidifying your PEP, consider the needs and expectations of your team. As the project progresses, collect feedback to develop and improve the process.
2. Work backward from your end goals
Often it is helpful to work backward from your end goals to delineate well-defined objectives. Working backward can give you a broader view of how each task and purpose can work in conjunction and how each element correlates with creating the final product.
3. Set major milestones
Major milestones help your team track their progress and timing throughout the project. Setting deadlines for these milestones and expected resource use for them can help you see if tasks are taking longer than anticipated so that you can adjust your PEP and plans as needed. Your team should define these milestones to create enthusiasm and camaraderie between project groups.
4. Create subtasks
When you make your milestones, delegate subtasks between two or more groups to break down the workload. Establish the work parameters of each group to avoid redundancies and better facilitate productivity.
5. Set cross-team status checks
As well as establishing strong communication between project groups and leaders, encourage and facilitate communication between the groups themselves. Creating meetings and check-ins to encourage cross-team conversations ensures that major milestones are met and that you can collaboratively approach roadblocks.
6. Assign a project manager
In some cases, it can help to assign a project manager, especially in projects with more immense scopes and multiple teams that may need extra guidance. A project manager can help facilitate communications, advise on timelines, monitor resource use, and help delegate new tasks. Not all projects will need this, especially for smaller teams working closely on smaller projects without needing one person to provide oversight.
With a project execution plan, you give yourself, your team, and your client, the means of having a single, solidified template that defines the overall goal and expectations of the final deliverable. With a specified outline, you can better facilitate the project each step of the way, having clearly outlined the goals and objectives in a readily accessible document. A project is given shape through parameters and a means of execution through well-defined, purpose-based objectives through a PEP.
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Tech Accelerator
Crowdstrike outage explained: what caused it and what’s next, a crowdstrike update caused a massive it outage, crashing millions of windows systems. critical services and business operations were disrupted, revealing tech reliance risks..
- Sean Michael Kerner
What might be considered the largest IT outage in history was triggered by a botched software update from security vendor CrowdStrike, affecting millions of Windows systems around the world. Insurers estimate the outage will cost U.S. Fortune 500 companies $5.4 billion.
The outage occurred July 19, 2024, with millions of Windows systems failing and showing the infamous blue screen of death ( BSOD ).
CrowdStrike -- the company at the core of the outage -- is an endpoint security vendor whose primary technology is the Falcon platform, which helps protect systems against potential threats in a bid to minimize cybersecurity risks.
In many respects, the outage was a real manifestation of fears that computing users had at the end of the last century with the Y2K bug. With Y2K, the fear was that a bug in software systems would trigger widespread technology failures. While the CrowdStrike failure was not Y2K, it was a software issue that did, in fact, trigger massive disruption on a scale that has not been seen before.
What caused the outage?
The CrowdStrike Falcon platform is widely used by organizations of all sizes across many industries. It is the pervasiveness of CrowdStrike's technology and its integration into so many mission-critical operations and industries that amplified the effect.
The outage was not a Microsoft Windows flaw directly, but rather a flaw in CrowdStrike Falcon that triggered the issue.
Falcon hooks into the Microsoft Windows OS as a Windows kernel process. The process has high privileges, giving Falcon the ability to monitor operations in real time across the OS. There was a logic flaw in Falcon sensor version 7.11 and above, causing it to crash. Due to CrowdStrike Falcon's tight integration into the Microsoft Windows kernel, it resulted in a Windows system crash and BSOD.
The flaw in CrowdStrike Falcon was inside of a sensor configuration update. The sensor is regularly updated -- sometimes multiple times daily -- to provide users with mitigation and threat protection.
The flawed update was contained in a file that CrowdStrike refers to as "channel files," which specifically provide configuration updates for behavioral protections. Channel file 291 is an update that was supposed to help improve how Falcon evaluates named pipe execution on Microsoft Windows. Named pipes are a common type of communication mechanism for interprocess communications on Microsoft Windows.
With channel file 291, CrowdStrike inadvertently introduced a logic error, causing the Falcon sensor to crash and, subsequently, Windows systems in which it was integrated.
The flaw isn't in all versions of channel file 291. The problematic version is channel file 291 (C-00000291*.sys) with timestamp 2024-07-19 0409 UTC. Channel file 291 timestamped 2024-07-19 0527 UTC or later does not have the logic flaw. By that time, CrowdStrike had noticed its error and reverted the change. But, for many of its users, that reversion came too late as they had already updated, leading to BSOD and inoperable systems.
What services were affected?
Microsoft estimated that approximately 8.5 million Windows devices were directly affected by the CrowdStrike logic error flaw. That's less than 1% of Microsoft's global Windows install base.
But, despite the small percentage of the overall Windows install base, the systems affected were those running critical operations. Services affected include the following.
Airlines and airports
The outage grounded thousands of flights worldwide, leading to significant delays and cancellations of more than 10,000 flights around the world. In the United States, affected airlines included Delta, United and American Airlines. These airlines were forced to cancel hundreds of flights until systems were restored. Globally, multiple airlines and airports were affected, including KLM, Porter Airlines, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Zurich Airport and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Public transit
Public transit in multiple cities was affected, including Chicago, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, New York City and Washington, D.C.
Hospitals and healthcare clinics around the world faced significant disruptions in appointment systems , leading to delays and cancellations. Some states also reported 911 emergency services being affected, including Alaska, Indiana and New Hampshire.
Financial services
Online banking systems and financial institutions around the world were affected by the outage. Multiple payment platforms were directly affected, and there were individuals who did not get their paychecks when expected.
Media and broadcasting
Multiple media and broadcast outlets around the world, including British broadcaster Sky News, were taken off the air by the outage.
Analysis of the CrowdStrike outage
In this podcast, TechTarget Security editors Rob Wright, Alex Culafi and Arielle Waldman assess last week's CrowdStrike outage and the organization's response.
Why Apple and Linux were not affected
CrowdStrike's software doesn't just run on Microsoft Windows; it also runs on Apple's macOS and the Linux OS .
But the July outage only affected Microsoft Windows. The root cause of the outage was a faulty sensor configuration update that specifically affected Windows systems. The channel file 291 update was never issued to macOS or Linux systems as the update deals with named pipe execution that only occurs on the Microsoft Windows OS.
The way that the Falcon sensor integrates as a Windows kernel process is also not the same in macOS or Linux. Those OSes have different integration points to limit potential risk.
However, there was a reported incident in June from Linux vendor Red Hat, where the Falcon sensor -- running as an eBPF program in Linux -- triggered a kernel panic. In Linux, a kernel panic is a type of crash, though typically not as dramatic as BSOD. That issue was resolved without Red Hat reporting any major incidents.
The dangers of putting all your eggs in one IT basket
Discover the possible consequences of relying on a concentrated and interconnected pool of vendors for all your infrastructure needs.
What happens when the IT infrastructure is too big to fail?
CrowdStrike chaos shows risks of concentrated big IT
CrowdStrike disaster exposes a hard truth about IT
How long will it take businesses to recover from this outage?
CrowdStrike itself was able to identify and deploy a fix for the issue in 79 minutes. While CrowdStrike quickly identified and deployed a fix for the issue, the recovery process for businesses is complex and time-consuming. Among the issues is that, once the problematic update was installed, the underlying Windows OS would trigger BSOD, rendering the system inoperative using the normal boot process.
IT administrators had to manually boot affected systems into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment to delete the problematic channel file 291 and restore normal operations. That process is labor-intensive, especially for organizations with many affected devices. In some cases, the process also required physical access to each machine, adding further time and effort to the process.
Some businesses were able to apply the fix within a few days. However, the process was not straightforward for all, particularly those with extensive IT infrastructure and encrypted drives. The use of the Microsoft Windows BitLocker encryption technology by some organizations made it significantly more time-consuming to recover as BitLocker recovery keys were required.
It is estimated that it could potentially take months for some organizations to entirely recover all affected systems from the outage.
The latest news on CrowdStrike's recovery efforts
Bitlocker workaround may offer aid for crowdstrike customers, crowdstrike: 97% of windows sensors back online after outage.
CrowdStrike outage underscores software testing dilemmas
Hackers take advantage of outage
While the outage was not due to a cyberattack, threat actors have taken advantage of the incident .
According to a blog post from CrowdStrike, the security vendor has received reports of the following malicious activity:
- Phishing emails sent to customers posing as CrowdStrike support.
- Fake phone calls impersonating CrowdStrike staff.
- Selling scripts claiming to automate recovery from the botched update.
- Posing as independent researchers saying the outage was due to a cyberattack and offering remediation insights.
CISA urges individuals and organizations to only follow instructions from legitimate sources and avoid opening suspicious emails and links.
How can businesses be better prepared for tech outages?
The CrowdStrike Windows outage highlighted the vulnerabilities of modern society's heavy reliance on technology. While system backups and automated processes are essential, having manual procedures in place can significantly enhance business continuity during tech outages.
But there are a few things businesses can do to be better prepared for tech outages, including the following.
Test all updates before deploying to production
It has been a best practice for years to allow automated updates to ensure systems are always up to date. However, the CrowdStrike issue laid bare the underlying risk with that approach. For mission-critical systems, testing updates before deployment or having some form of staging environment before pushing updates to production might help to mitigate some risk.
Develop and document manual workarounds
Manual workarounds ensure critical business processes can continue even when technology fails. This approach was common before the digital age and, in the event of outage, can serve as a fallback. Documenting and practicing manual procedures can help mitigate the effect of outages, ensuring businesses can still operate and serve their customers, even during an outage.
Perform disaster recovery and business continuity planning
Outages happen for any number of different reasons. Having extensive disaster recovery and business continuity practices and plans in place is critical. Part of that effort should include the use of redundant systems and infrastructure to minimize downtime and ensure critical functions can switch to backup systems when needed.
Sean Michael Kerner is an IT consultant, technology enthusiast and tinkerer. He has pulled Token Ring, configured NetWare and been known to compile his own Linux kernel. He consults with industry and media organizations on technology issues.
For more information about the CrowdStrike outage, read the following articles:
Is today's CrowdStrike outage a sign of the new normal?
CrowdStrike chaos casts a long shadow on cybersecurity
Dig Deeper on Business software
CrowdStrike update chaos explained: What you need to know
Why is CrowdStrike allowed to run in the Windows kernel?
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VCU Health selects chief human resources officer
This leadership role will help develop organizational initiatives that foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplace for all vcu health employees..
7/22/2024 12:00:00 AM
By Pete Woody
Kristin King has been named c hief h uman r esources o fficer (CHRO) for VCU Health System. She will begin her new role on Sept . 1.
This executive leadership role is responsible for developing and executing an equitable human resource strategy for VCU Health’s business plan and strategic direction for the health system . The CH RO will provide insight and recommendations for organizational initiatives that foster a diver se, equitable , inclusive and accessible workplace.
King is a versatile HR leader with more than two decades of expertise spanning talent, learning and development, employee and employer relations, total rewards and DEI initiatives. She joins VCU Health from Centra Health in Lynchburg, where she most recently served as senior vice president and chief human resources officer.
At Centra , King implemented comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and led the development and execution of a diverse and comprehensive talent acquisition strategy. She also assisted in transforming the organization’s compensation structure and philosophy to align with industry best practices , while implementing strategic workforce planning initiatives to mitigate skills gaps and promote internal career pathways. Prior to this role, s he served as vice president of HR and talent for Centra. King also held management and leadership roles with Southern Illinois Healthcare in Carbondale, Illinois, from 2003-2020.
In addition to her health care experience, King spent 10 years in corporate training, where she designed customized training and staff development programs tailored to meet the organizational needs of diverse clientele. Her professional development accomplishments include earning designation as a Six Sigma process improvement change agent, as well as serving as a member of the Career and Technical Education Executive Committee and the Virginia Workforce and Education
Read the latest stories from VCU Health News
VCU Health appoints chief data and AI officer
After a storied career of 22 years – and countless stories – communications leader Pam Lepley is retiring from VCU
VCU appoints new dean of VCU College of Health Professions
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Kumba delivers solid interim operational, financial performance despite challenging market
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Kumba CEO Mpumi Zikalala
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23rd July 2024
By: Sabrina Jardim
Creamer Media Online Writer
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Mining company Kumba Iron Ore has reported a robust set of results for the six months ended June 30 despite a challenging market. CE Mpumi Zikalala says the company’s first-half results reflect strong execution of its business reconfiguration plan while improving safety across operations.
“By prioritising operational safety, stability, capability and cost-effective production, we are delivering on our strategic objectives of unlocking value from our core and positioning for a sustainable future, which are essential for creating enduring stakeholder value,” she says, adding that Kumba's performance demonstrates good operational momentum achieved.
In line with Kumba’s business reconfiguration plan to align production to Transnet’s logistics performance, volumes were reduced by 2% to 18.5-million tonnes, matching a 2% decrease in ore railed to port compared with the first half of 2023.
Sales decreased by 5% to 18.1-million tonnes with the benefit of the proactive mini-shutdown and port equipment repairs undertaken in April, largely offsetting the impact of port equipment outages in the first quarter.
As a result, Zikalala says, the company maintains its full-year production and sales guidance of 35-million to 37-million tonnes and 36-million to 38-million tonnes, respectively.
She points out that the company’s focus on rightsizing its operations unlocked savings of R1.8-billion for the period, contributing to an improved C1 unit cost of $38.50/per wet metric tonne (wmt).
“This ensures that we are well on track to achieving our target of $38/wmt for the full year.”
Meanwhile, Zikalala notes that the iron-ore market pulled back strongly in the first half, noting that the reconfiguration of Kumba’s business to a lower production and cost profile provides further resilience in the face of a volatile market environment.
She points out that weak steel demand in China and Europe, coupled with robust iron-ore supply, contributed to the Platts Iron-ore Index 62% iron cost and freight benchmark iron-ore price falling by 26% since the start of the year.
An increase in steel exports provided some relief, while lump premium was supported by lump stock being at multiyear lows.
Additionally, Kumba achieved an average realised free-on-board (FOB) iron-ore export price of $97/wmt, $1/t above the average 62% iron benchmark FOB export price.
Zikalala says the lump and iron-ore quality premium that Kumba’s products attract was largely offset by the unfavourable timing effect of provisionally priced volumes in a falling iron-ore price environment.
“While we continue to operate in a challenging macro[economic] and logistics environment, Kumba delivered a solid performance,” she says.
Further, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of R15.6-billion and an Ebitda margin of 44% contributed to the company’s attributable free cash flow of R9.1-billion.
Zikalala says this supported the board's decision to declare an interim cash dividend of R18.77 a share, representing a payout ratio of 85% of headline earnings.
Edited by Chanel de Bruyn Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online
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