Question #1
How strategically oriented is your practice?
1. being:
your organization may not have a plan of action to address different possible scenarios. Highly tactical instead of strategic, most business decisions are made on the spot as different situations arise. The company is entirely dependent on the owners and founders. When profit is down, the first reaction from management is to cut costs (marketing budget and even human resources). Poor annual business plan (the only plan is all about numbers) and no mid-term and long-term planning. Focused on monthly/quarterly sales numbers and cash flow targets, and strategies are focused around investor values or owner profitability. Typically these companies are strategically adrift. They don't have a meaningful strategic direction or a clear view of how they create value. Lack of brand values (vision, mission, values, etc.). Products and services are undifferentiated and easy to copy.
10. being:
your organization has a coherent strategic plan and the plan is being reviewed on an annual basis to ensure both strategic and financial goals are still current and on track for a healthy future of the business. Your marketing plan is 100% aligned with the strategic plan, other divisional plans are also aligned with each other and shared across the executive team's overall functions. Marketing plans focused on customers and customer values the organization can deliver. Product Development / R&D working closely with frontline customer-facing and revenue generation teams. You have a powerful value proposition and a system of a few differentiating capabilities that support that value proposition. You apply your capabilities to a broader range of challenges and loftier goals, serve the fundamental needs and wants of your customers (laser-focused on customer values they bring to the table), and ultimately lead their industries. Your strategic plan and divisional plans not only aligned, but they are also well documented and cascaded down to individual performance plans with clear customer line of sight goals and KPIs at employee levels. You also have a continuous improvement process in place to ensure these plans are appropriate for their growth goals in 3 or 5 years' time.
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