Even great strategies fail if they are not properly implemented. In practice, new strategies designed to deliver competitive advantages or performance gains have a poor track record of being implemented well.

 

Assuming a new strategy is sound, why doesn’t the organisation respond and adapt to the new direction? The answer is that implementation is always more difficult than formulation.

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When formulating a strategy, there are numerous models available. In contrast when you implement strategy, there are very limited options for frameworks to use.

 

Therefore, implementation involves changing the behavior and action of almost everyone in the company and leaders need different ways to communicate the messages. 

 

We believe that the support of employees and managers is crucial in order to successfully implement a strategy. When there is a lack of buy-in and commitment, people do not proactively make the changes that are needed to adapt to the strategy.