Strategic Capability Development

Background

I have found over the years of assisting clients in developing strategy that often the real constraint on their ability to deliver heir strategies is a lack of their development of long run capability.

This has led to the development and refinement of a practical approach to capability development.

Approach and Methodology

Phase 1 Plan the Plan

• Meet with project sponsor to refine overall project objectives.
• Understand documentation, frameworks etc.
• Establish a detailed timetable and task list with the project support team including project review meetings, governance process and reporting format. Develop and agree a detailed communications plan.

Phase 2 Collect and Validate the Data

• Deskwork to analyse frameworks and business plans.
• Interviews and workshops with each business unit leader and selected staff
• Confirm the validity/reality of documented plans to provide an evaluation Strategic Directions
• Conduct gap analysis to determine whether business plans are appropriately aligned with priorities
• Produce a summary of key priorities for each business unit.

Phase 3 Agree “The Priorities”

Based on the output of Phase 2 present the findings to Senior Executives and sign off the findings. Communicate the results to appropriate audiences.

Phase 4 Capacity Review

Based on the output of the phases 2 & 3 analyse and assesses the organisation’s capacity to deliver against these priorities and produce a question set for further interviews/workshops.

The capability to consider:

People and skills
Systems
Culture
Management Processes

The work will bring together the gap analysis and plan alignment work from previous phases and assesses the capacity to deliver against “The Priorities”. It will also include consideration of any staff climate surveys.

Present the findings to Senior Executives & sign off the findings. Communicate the results to appropriate audiences.

Phase 5 The Way Forward

Include recommendations regarding:

• The role, priorities and direction of the organisation
• Possible structural changes including options
• Cultural considerations including training and development needs and “the way we work around here”.
• The identification of projects and initiatives to support the recommended changes.
• Broad implementation plans for any such initiatives, especially the first 90 days.
• Communicating the results.

Copyright Wright Management Consultants 2006