The goal is to create simple strategies that people can understand and execute and that those executing feel ownership in because they know their voice was heard. Good strategy is informed by more than the top leaders and encompasses data from many sources. Strategies that incorporate innovation and differentiate your organization not only provide for a better future, but also dramatically increase morale and accountability because of their inclusive nature.  

BMGI’s foray into the strategy space is 10 years in the making. Originally known for our problem solving programs, primarily in the areas of Lean and Six Sigma, many of our clients also came to know us as disciplined, objective facilitators. That, in turn, has led to requests to facilitate strategic planning sessions. Through our work with a number of clients over the years, we’ve converged on an approach that can best be described as a combination of innovation, hoshin kanri (policy deployment) and the Balanced Scorecard.

More recently, as a derivative of our innovation practice, we are more and more often asked to participate in the development of strategy itself. That’s because as you move higher in the business plan (closer to the business model versus product and service innovation), the line between strategy and innovation becomes rather gray.

Strategy is best viewed through a few simple questions:

• What game are we playing?
• Do we understand the rules?
• Are we the best we can be at the game?
• Are we winning?

We help you answer these questions and through the use of BMGI’s other programs, we help you close the gaps between your strategic objectives and your strategic achievements.

Coaching in strategic thinking and idea generation

Clayton Christensen in his HBR Harvard Business Review article, “Making Strategy: Learning by Doing,” had this to say about strategic thinking,  “Although companies find it difficult to change strategy for many reasons, one stands out: strategic thinking is not a core managerial competence at most companies.” In a time when being strategic has never been any more important, organizations are required to create a process and culture that demands their leaders “think.”

Focused on how strategists think, BMGI has conducted first-hand research and interviews with dozens of CEOs and COOs of top Fortune 500 companies. We’ve combined this with the latest research on how the brain works and how to get the most out of it. Our findings reveal two interesting points related to strategy:

1. Individuals need to have a process for constantly collecting information. We call it “Dot Collecting.” Strategic insights do not happen in a vacuum, but only after many rounds of reading, observation and otherwise consuming lots of diverse information—more diverse, and even obscure, than most executives might be inclined to seek and digest. The goal is to saturate your brain with parts of ideas.
2. Great strategies aren’t conceived or made in meeting rooms. They’re baked in the shower, incubated during a morning jog, bestowed from above while walking on the beach. You name it; every brain is unique. Strategists of all levels have to be allowed time to process all of the collected dots. When and where do your people find their brilliance? What is your process for enabling their thinking process?
3. Ultimately, all of this dot collecting has to be transformed into competitive advantage. Unique points of view, insights, ideas, and revelations developed both individually and collectivey must be shared with other leaders. The combining of dozens of "half ideas" is a form of collaborative illumination that will bring forth the strategy needed to create the future of the organization. Organizations need to actively manage the process of collaboration without creating artificial rules about how it should occur.

Based on these findings and more, we’ve worked with organizations to improve their strategic thinking and idea generation. We’ll leverage our research and experience to help you better understand the informal magic—and process—of strategic thinking.

Strategy development process design

By improving—or innovating—your process, you can influence the quality of your strategy. In any process, inputs are transformed through a function to create outcomes. What are the right inputs and the desired outcomes of your strategic planning process? What is the critical flow of information, and how is it transformed by the strategy team into the yearly strategic goals? What specific actions do you take to ensure the goals you develop aren’t conflicting from an operational standpoint? How do you ensure the plan is executable? We’ll help you answer these questions and improve the often-ignored process of how you formulate strategy.

Strategy execution system

At BMGI, we incorporate the balanced scorecard at the front end of the strategy deployment and execution cycle—and that’s just the beginning. Then we take it a step further with the hoshin kanri planning process—a holistic approach to developing and implementing strategy. Perhaps its most valuable attributes include the buy-in achieved from the inclusive nature of the process and the assuredness of the plan itself. The ability to execute is considered every step of the way.

Working side-by-side with your team, BMGI uses a seven-step hoshin planning process, starting with establishing an organizational vision and strategic blueprint. Then we break larger strategic objectives into actionable and measureable projects. Finally, we ensure that progress toward goals are actively managed in a repeatable cycle. In the end, you’ll have a systematic way of approaching strategic planning and of managing progress toward achieving your strategic goals. 

Strategic process assessment

Watch COO Wes Waldo present at the IW Best Plants Conference on the first stage of the strategic planning process with a strategic process assessment.