Orchestrating Strategy

A letter from Kentucky, is from one of Seth's readers about an orchestra that has found its groove by reaching out to a much bigger audience than the traditional sound of orchestras that remain flat and appeal to limited listeners. Seth, "There's a much larger group that has a worldview that says, "I'm interested in live music and enjoy an evening out. I want to do something fun and something that doesn't make me bored or feel stupid." "These people are the kind of people who read movie reviews and movie ads--not because they have to, but because they want to. They are the kind of people who don't skip over the entertainment section of their local paper."

"The takeaway here is that if your target audience isn't listening, it's not their fault, it's yours. If one story isn't working, change what you do, not how loudly you yell (or whine)."

If you work in an organization, how does a similar theme play out? Effective dialogue for strategic rewards Jeffrey Kohles, "Vision is critical for business success, but how far is that vision integrated into employee behaviour? And how can leaders ensure that implementation becomes a reality? Most organisations, and the executives that run them, realise the importance of a strategic vision as a guide for heading a company in the right direction. The strategic vision, as a representation of ideal long-term goals for the company, helps keep top-management and other executives ‘on the same page’ as they make decisions that affect the organisation."

However, the story is flat and never really involves the wisdom of employess, partners et al to execute on the strategy. Sure, it keeps top-management and other executives on the same page (limited listeners), but these guys rarely have a clue as to what's happening in the trenches where strategy is implemented and executed. Perhaps, management might consider a worldview where “employees . . . perceive the strategic vision as being compatible with what they are actually doing in their jobs.” Hey, with the right tunes, we all want to dance!