Making Strategy Happen

What does this programme cover?
All too often, good strategies fail to produce winning results.

There is a gap between the goals of the leaders and the readiness, willingness and ability of the organisation to achieve it.

To bridge that gap, a set of formal disciplines needs to be put in place.

Building on research into public company, private equity and military methods for implementing strategy, this new programme shows managers how to navigate a course through planning, implementation and adaptation.

It focuses on a tried and tested process for steering an organisation towards its strategic objectives, whilst being flexible enough to adapt to unpredictable events.

What will I learn?

• How to engage your workforce in support of strategic objectives
• How to give and receive more effective briefings in order to harness the skills of the whole team in line with the strategic plan
• How to build a high-energy, purposeful, empowered and adaptive organisation.

Who’s it for?
You are a senior manager. You may be in general management, a functional specialist, or leading a major project.

Your job is to translate broad strategic objectives into operational reality.

How will my company or organisation benefit?
Your knowledge will help you execute new strategies and create an organisation that achieves the aspirations set out in the strategic plan.

Programme Content

• Identifying the essential elements of a strategy

• Identifying the essential elements of a strategy
• Assessing and removing blocks to change before starting implementation
• Communicating the strategy clearly and simply
• Creating a framework for making trade-offs
• Setting priorities
• Giving guidance whilst allowing flexibility
• Preparing for and steering through setbacks on the implementation journey
• Engaging the workforce in support of strategy objectives
• Building the organisational capabilities to make it happen
• Monitoring and motivating progress by linking strategy implementation to budgets, performance metrics and incentives

Programme Structure

Pre-programme - Each participant identifies a situation he/she has been in where the implementation did not run smoothly and think about why.

Pre-programme - Each participant identifies a situation he/she has been in where the implementation did not run smoothly and think about why.

Programme - An engaging four day programme with a good mix of participants and tutors with world class expertise in the subject.

A combination of plenary lectures, interactive discussions about written case studies, video clips and exercises conducted in break-out groups, allow you to apply your learnings directly to your actual situation at work.

Post-programme - Each participant puts the lessons into practice within his/her area and asks for help from the faculty if needed.

What makes this programme different?

• It draws on extensive work carried out on execution models in public company, private equity and military organisations
• Participants will be introduced to tools based on those used in modern military planning as well as others drawn from recent work in organisational behaviour
• It is a practical programme designed for you to apply to your own situation
• The range of skills and perspectives of the participants are a vital component of the learning experience, providing opportunities to observe how others manage

Evaluation scores and feedback from programme
Were objectives achieved (out of 100%)

• March 2009 - 94
• October 2008- 86
• October 2007 - 92
• October 2006 - 85

Quality of Content (5 = excellent, 1 = poor)

• March 2009 : 4.8
• October 2008 : 4.2
• 2008 October 2007 : 4.5
• October 2006 : 4.1

General comments made by participants. Most recent first.

First class course with great content that had clearly been very well researched and prepared. Engaging course leaders who had a wealth of experience and excellent communication skills. I was very impressed and it has made me want to raise my game.
Matthew Gilbert, Business Development Manager, Advertising, Guardian News & Media.

Overall very well run course with a great pitch. Made it simple to understand and follow. I have taken a lot away from this and will apply in my day job. This will undoubtedly have a benefit to me and the business.
Jon Parry, Director of Retail Services, Somerfield Stores.

An excellent course which does provide a good sequel to Strategic Decisions. I'll be back!
Andy Dawe, Head of Retail Programmes, Waste & Resources Action Programme Ltd.

Great tool-set and excellent insights. I'd like to get our entire executive along.
David Luckhurst, Business Manager - Nuclear Power, BAE Systems Submarine Solutions.

I really enjoyed this course. It was at a good pace and good use of different media and case studies. I have met my aspirations at the beginning of this course - to develop my skill set, knowledge, tools, learn about other companies and challenged myself.
Jessen Chen, National Strategic Project Director, Grant Thornton UK.

The whole programme has been breathtaking!
Charles Louis, Business Manager, Barnet Enfield & Haringey Health Informatics Service.

Excellent course and ideas conveyed by Stephen and Felix in a very effective way.
Craig Belevender, Chassis Components BU, Continental AG.

Excellent, super examples and anecdotes brought the course alive for me.
Alex Walsh, Head of Civil Nuclear Programmes, BAE Systems.

An excellent course that has provided me with a framework for making strategy a reality.
Philip Bywater, Operations Director, Lloyds TSB.

Many thanks for your energy, skills, individual attention! You have helped me greatly.
Jane Eliott, Talent and Change Manager, Huhtamaki Oyj.

An excellent course. Thank you. Individual session with tutors was very useful.
Linda Foster, Finance Director, Economist Intelligence Unit, The Economist Newspaper.

Thoroughly enjoyable and an excellent variety of people on the course.
Peter Newman, General Manager Nuclear and Export Business, BAE Systems Submarine Solutions.

Excellent presenters! Your insights are worth sharing.
Sue Sutherland, Deputy Chief Executive, National Library of New Zealand.

Really liked the historical stuff - helped distil our general principals. Thank you it's been a really insightful experience.
Caroline Sutton, Head of Business Improvement, Medical Research Council.

Great course with practical tools and techniques to apply in the workplace. Has helped me re-define the operations planning process I will follow later this year. I found the use of video clips and excellent way of stimulating discussing and reinforcing learning. Good interplay between Stephen and Felix.
Jeremy Ross, Distribution Director Branch Delivery, DSGi

Very focused on what strategy is, how to implement it and then find it. Excellent insight. Thank you.
Martin Beckwith, Head of Network, Lloyds TSB plc.

Good and important introduction to strategy
Steve Patterson, UK Head of Marketing, Bayer CorpScience Ltd.

I think they largely achieved the objectives from platforms to processes to profitability performance. It has taken us through from strategy to plan to action and to results. It has made me a better strategist armed with tools for measuring success and appropriate feedback mechanisms for control and remedial purposes.

Joseph Udoyeh, General Manager Luxury Apartments, UACN Property Development Company Plc.