There is a lot of evidence in both research and practice that one of the biggest impediments to successful implementation of an organization’s strategy is the lack of commitment and buy-in of employees across all levels and parts of the organization. An evidence-based approach to increasing the buy-in and commitment of employees is to use a 360-degree approach to strategic planning and development.

A colleague of mine told me many years ago that every morning she would wait by the window facing the driveway to our office to see the expression on my face as I came out of my car to determine whether it was going to be a happy day or a sad one. A classic example of an “enigmatic” boss (putting it nicely), and an employee whose happiness had been mortgaged.

In the last fifteen years, I have been actively involved in helping organizations craft and implement their business strategies. That journey has exposed me to some of the largest companies and government agencies, given me a chance to compete against some of the Big 4 Consulting firms and also to collaborate with some of them in this regard.

Preparing leaders for the future is certainly the most important goal for any serious-thinking organization or society. The whole purpose of the education that you give your children for example is to prepare them for independent life, so that they can lead themselves and others around them.

When you interact with many organizational leaders, they are very cynical about the investments that organizations make in training their employees. Unfortunately, the data supports their cynicism: most training does not translate to action and changes in the organization.

We pay a lot more attention to coming up with bright ideas and new strategies than we do on ensuring that they are implemented and create the results that we desire. Organizations that really succeed are not those who have the biggest dreams, they are the ones that have the best execution.

Right-thinking businesses are in pursuit of one thing only: achieving sustainable competitive advantage. This requires them to have a more balanced approach to setting priorities and pursuing goals. Some of the most successful companies in the world have adopted the Balanced Score card as their framework for strategy development, strategy implementation and performance management.

I have always believed that the biggest problem plaguing our society and our organizations is the preponderance of square pegs in round holes – people doing jobs that they are not aligned with.

Presentation and public speaking skills are the most sought-after skills in the workplace today. Thankfully, these skills can be learned with the right motivation, tools, training, and support.

Idea generation is an important step of the creative-problem solving and innovation process that teams and organizations use to drive strategy and transformation. However, without a proper understanding of the foundational principles of ideation, your best efforts at idea generation may not yield the results you desire.