A joined-up approach to strategy is game-changing – paving the way for ultimate success.
We often get asked to look at one aspect of someone’s business. That might be to review their governance structure, create better management information, or maybe recommend a new finance system. There’s a known problem, or opportunity, and that’s our brief.
Yes, we’re here to solve problems, but part of this process sometimes involves challenging clients’ thinking.
The power of zooming out
A business is complex and has many interconnected components. The traditional approach to growth and performance improvement is to focus on individual aspects of the business, like introducing a new product or increasing production efficiency. However, these actions risk overlooking the broader impacts and interconnectedness of various factors.
By taking a step back and looking at the complexity and interconnectivity of a business, you can create more effective and sustainable change. It’s about amplifying the time, effort and money needed for any organisational change into a bigger impact.
Such a holistic approach looks at the bigger picture. If you zoom out and piece together an image of how the different parts influence each other, you can create an integrated strategy that’s robust and drives game-changing progress.
Let’s take the example of a manufacturing business. A holistic view of the entire business ecosystem may include looking at these aspects:
- Supply chain — look at the entire supply chain to understand the dependencies, potential bottlenecks, and risks along it — from sourcing materials to product distribution.
- The market — gaining a full understanding of the market, including customer preferences, trends, and the competitive landscape. Enables product development and marketing strategies that align with changing market demands.
- Customer feedback — can be used to inform possible improvements in products, customer service and user experience.
- Environmental impact — consider the impact of the manufacturing process, packaging and end-of-life disposal, and define strategies to reduce waste, increase recycling and the use of more sustainable materials.
- Employee engagement — understand the impact of employee satisfaction and engagement on productivity and product quality. Similarly, in the opposite direction, consider the impact of your product, sustainability approach and “culture of innovation” on employee engagement.
Symphony
The process of joining the dots enables better decision-making and helps to manage risk. Traditional linear thinking can lead to unintended consequences in business decisions. A joined-up approach helps to identify potential side effects and ripple effects of strategic choices, which leads to more thoughtful and well-rounded strategies.
One of the foundations of an effective joined-up approach to organisational change is a shared purpose and vision for the business. Otherwise, it’s like asking the conductor of an orchestra to create a beautiful symphony by blending different melodies and harmonies with no sheet music to guide them. By joining the dots, you can create a virtuous cycle by fostering a culture where people can collaborate and align across an organisation. It encourages different teams to work together and align their efforts toward a shared vision.
Go dotty for an advantage
My favourite aspect of joining the dots is seeing businesses gain competitive advantage. This can be done in several ways:
- Spotting aspects that wouldn’t be seen when looking at individual parts — e.g. identifying emerging trends, anticipating changes, and spotting opportunities that competitors may miss.
- Reinforcing a culture of innovation — by thinking beyond traditional siloes and boundaries.
- Optimising resources — by identifying critical leverage points where small adjustments can bring significant benefit.
- Enhancing collaboration and cooperation — can help you outperform your competitors.
- Focusing on your customers — can create a more personalised and satisfying experience.
- More sustainable business practices — can be appealing to customers and investors.
By embracing this approach, you can position your business for long-term sustainable success. This translates to a distinct competitive edge in today’s rapidly evolving business environment.
Any organisational change is challenging – but it’s an inescapable part of growing and staying competitive. So, why not seize an advantage by joining the dots?
Author: David Shadwell, CT: Evolve
