The is the third article exploring the strategy-execution gap. You can read the first and seond ones by clicking the links.
“He who is silent is taken to agree” – Latin proverb
“Speak now or forever hold your peace.” – The Book of Common Prayer
“My level of silence is often mistaken for agreement. It’s the caffeine deciding if this conversation is worth the effort.” – coffee mug
Every manager and executive says they agree with the strategy and its goals. And they mean it.
It’s what they’re NOT saying that makes all the difference.
“I know what you want me to do but how do you expect me to do it?”
This isn’t a plea or request for micro-management. After all, two-thirds of Directors have access to a centralized system for tracking performance metrics and KPIs.
But knowing what is expected and delivering it are two different things. Less than one-third of respondents are prepared for change (including only 13% of C-Suite execs!) and not a single VP, Director, or Manager has the resources to execute and deliver their goals.
“Actions speak louder than words, and we’re speaking two different languages.”
Every single survey respondent said their organization has well-defined company values. But only 50% of VPs and 33% of Directors see those values reflected in their colleagues’ behaviors.
“If you want the team to deliver X, why are you rewarding us for different things unrelated to X?”
Fifty percent of VPs and two-thirds of directors have clear functional or team plans with explicit KPIs. What nearly 60% don’t have are functional plans aligned with the organization’s goals and clear ownership for delivering SMART objectives.
When functional strategies don’t tie to organizational ones, it’s no surprise that only 25% of the C-Suite, 15% of VPs, and 0% of Directors and Managers see cross-functional alignment on execution.
Resistance rarely looks like rebellion
“Change is always met with resistance,” explained one Manager.
Usually, resistance looks reasonable. A request for “one more set of eyes.” A call to one more person. One more run through the committee to make sure everyone’s comfortable.
In fact, most people don’t even know they’re resisting change. They’re simply following rules and processes set up years before this year’s strategy existed. And while it slows strategic execution, isn’t it worth it to keep the company safe?
This type of resistance is solvable. Change a process, introduce an incentive, “flatten the org.”
But that’s not the resistance the data shows. That kind is silent and deadly.
You must ask for what they won’t say
Speaking up to say the strategy won’t work or the goal can’t be achieved costs a relationship, a reputation, maybe a promotion. So, your team stays silent, and you see it as agreement.
But that silence is preventing you from getting the information and perspective you need to build a strategy that can succeed because people genuinely agree and are able to execute it.
It’s not enough to ask people to speak up or play devil’s advocate. You must eliminate the cost of doing so:
Go first. Call out the weakest part of your own plan before you ask them to poke holes in it. Every company claims humility and candor as a value, yet half your VPs and two-thirds of your directors don’t see it.
Ask for how, not yes. “Are you with me?” gets silent nods. “What would have to be true for this to work in your group?” draws out the constraints they keep to themselves.
Reward the challenge. If incentives still reward last year’s behaviors and goals, you’ll never get execution of this year’s strategy. And while updating incentives is a start, you won’t hear the hard truth until people have incentives to speak it.
Your team already knows how the strategy will fail. Ask them to tell you. Then fix it together.
If you would like to see how your organization scores, click here to take the Strategy Maturity Assessment. Your results will be sent directly to me, not to Cascade, and you will not be added to a mailing list. Please note that some people have had trouble using Gmail and other free e-mail accounts.
Methodology note: The Strategy Maturity Assessment was designed by Cascade and administered by MileZero as a self-serve survey to a sample of MileZero’s own clients: 18 self-selected respondents from 18 different companies, varying in role, revenue, and size. Findings are directional and should not be interpreted as scientific, random, or representative sample. Scores come from a proprietary scoring of Yes / Somewhat / No answers and show relative patterns, not precise measurements. All findings are the opinions of individual participants as of the date they responded, not statements of fact.