Translating the Plan into Action

March 5, 2009

Scott McLeanPresident – ThinkWise, Inc.

smclean@thinkwiseinc.com

WHAT YOU’LL HEAR

• My Top Challenges

• My Advice (Advisors)

• Some Tools and Resources

TOP CHALLENGES

1. Planning before Trying

2. Too Quick to Overhead

3. Failing Fast

4. Too Many Priorities

5. No Contingency Plans

6. Early People Limitations

7. Great is the Enemy of Good

8. Focusing Just on the What

9. Continuous Selling of the

Plan

10.Simple Score Cards

Patrick Lencioni

4 Cs of Trust

Cultural Performance Profiles

External Focus

Adaptability + Mission

The organization’s focus is on adapting and changingin response to the externalenvironment

Key Dimensions:

Internal Focus

Involvement + Consistency

The organization’s focus ison the dynamics of the internal integration of systems, structures, and processes

Key Dimensions:

Stability

Mission + Consistency

A stable orientationcontributes to an organization’s capacity to remain focused and predictable over time

Key Dimensions:

Flexibility

Adaptability + Involvement

A flexible organizationhas the capability to change in response to the environment

Key Dimensions:

STRATEGY

VISION

? Missing Link

Value Proposition: It’s all about alignment and focus.

Without getting to the specifics of what behaviors are required to execute the strategy, it is difficult for an organization to have any real clarity or alignment on who to hire, how to develop, or how to manage their people.

The What AND the How

What do we want to

become?

What culture do we need?

How do we get the right people?

How do we develop talent?

What behaviors are critical?

What tools & systems are

needed?

• Competencies define a specific set of define a specific set of behaviors behaviors that are most directly linked to performance and success in a job.

• Thus, the elements of a competency model communicate, in clear terms, the behaviors required for exemplar performance.

How are competencies linked to business objectives?

Competencies are the link between Vision/Culture to key people systems and processes.

Critical

Desirable

Less Desirable

Business Acumen

Collaboration

Communication

Conflict Management

Customer Engagement

Decision Making

Developmental Leadership

Flexibility

Innovation

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Leading Change

Leading Others

Project Management

Results Focus

Self Management

Supervisory Skills

Talent Management

Technical Expertise

Vision & Strategy

Action OrientationCompetency Sort

Chip Heath / Dan Heath

1.Simplicity

2.Unexpected

3.Concrete

4.Credible

5.Emotion

6.Stories

Results = Capability Commitment

CULTUREOptimal Performance

Larry Bossidy / Ram Charan

1.Know Your People and Business

2.Insist on Realism

3.Get Clear Goals & Priorities

4.Follow Through

5.Reward the Doers

6.Expand People’s Capabilities

7.Know Yourself

“After five years of research, I’m absolutely convinced that if we just focus our attention on the right things – and stop doing the senseless things that consume so much time and energy – we an create a powerful

Flywheel effect.”- Jim Collins, Good to Great

“Leaders who say: ‘I’ve got ten priorities’ don’t know what they are talking about… You’ve got to have these few, clearly realistic goals and priorities.”

- Bossidy and Charan, Execution

FOCUS

Number of Goals

2-3 4-10 11-20

Goals Achieved Effectively

2-3 1-2 0

RACI Definitions

Employee:Employee: Employee: Employee:

Guidelines•Remember your new culture philosophy when defining roles and responsibilities

• Eliminate “checkers checking checkers”

• Encourage teamwork

• 100% accuracy not always required

• Place accountability (A) and responsibility ® at the level closest to the action or knowledge

• There can be only one accountability per activity

• Authority must accompany accountability

• Minimize the number of consultants (C) and informs (I)

• All roles and responsibilities must be documented and communicated

The individual who is ultimately responsible. Includes yes or no authority and veto power. Only one “A” can be assigned to a function.

The individual who is ultimately responsible. Includes yes or no authority and veto power. Only one “A” can be assigned to a function.

Accountability“A”

The individual(s) who actually completes the task, the doer. This person is responsible for action/implementation. Responsibility can be shared. The degree of responsibility is determined by the individual with “A”.

The individual(s) who actually completes the task, the doer. This person is responsible for action/implementation. Responsibility can be shared. The degree of responsibility is determined by the individual with “A”.

Responsibility“R”

The individual(s) to be consulted prior to a final decision or action. This incorporates two-way communication.

The individual(s) to be consulted prior to a final decision or action. This incorporates two-way communication.

Consult“C”

The individual(s) who needs to be informed after a decision or action is taken. This incorporates one-way communication.

The individual(s) who needs to be informed after a decision or action is taken. This incorporates one-way communication.

Inform“I”Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Functional Roles

Ste

ps

in P

roce

ssResponsibility Charting

Guy Kawasaki / Bo Peabody

1.Starting

2.Positioning

3.Pitching

4.Writing a Business Plan

5.Boot Strapping

6.Raising Capital

7.Partnering

8.Startup vs. Big Company