Bridging the Strategy Gap: Getting to Execution

I’ve heard executives talk about the importance strategic planning is given within an organization, and I’ve seen much of the impressive output from expensive consultants.

And while it’s easy to bash these 100-plus page PowerPoint “paper bricks” that often end up gathering dust when some other consulting firm produces them, my tune changes pretty quickly when it’s our recommendations sitting neglected on the shelf.

The fact is, great strategy – whether brand, marketing or business management oriented (in our case, often all three) – can only succeed if it’s actually implemented. When something goes wrong or nothing happens, it can leave the organization unchanged or (even worse) only partway through a critical process.

A recent engagement with a growing financial services firm drove this point home … again. Where does it go wrong? While we see our job as the planners and champions of change, it takes internal leadership and motivation to drive it. Great leadership is about implementing change as well as developing the strategies to create change. You can’t have one without the other.

But not all leaders are naturally equipped, or empowered, to deal with the challenges that this role will throw at them. Whatever their “official” role (whether you’re leading from the top or the middle), leaders need to be able to drive strategic change in their organizations, and motivate others to join them.

I’m thinking we need to add a role to our toolbox: just call me Coach!

Welcome to Touchpoint Insights

With over 100,000 new blogs being created each day, blogging is here to stay. And with that, our entry seems to be not only reasonable, but timely.

Our goal with this blog is to discuss the things we think about every day in our professional roles as brand and marketing consultants. As it says on our website, MCorp. is a Strategic Brand and Marketing Consultancy. The contributors to Brand Perspectives are our partners, associates and friends.

Though we’ll do our best to avoid promoting ourselves, we’re sure that some of our expertise and points-of-view will make their way into this dialogue. After all, we’re marketers at heart. As the scorpion said to the frog “it’s my nature…” We’ll subtly provide more info on us as the Blog progresses.

In the meantime, we’re not sure where this is going to go. A lifetime of carefully crafting each thought, message and word long before they “see the light” is about to take a sharp turn down a road less traveled. We’re just hoping we don’t hit a tree. So if there’s anyone on board with us, we hope you enjoy the ride.