It Takes More Than Strategy

It takes more than strategy to get to the top.

For proof, look no farther than the Super Bowl-bound football teams.

• The Kansas City Chiefs: 30 coaches.
• The Philadelphia Eagles: 25 coaches.

Why so many coaches?

Because without effective execution, strategy is nothing more than words on a page.

For strategy to be effective, the players must:

• Understand the game plan & their role in executing the strategy.
• Be operating at peak performance & executing their role perfectly.
• Be able to handle the real-time strategic adjustments that will be thrown at them during the game.

That’s why even high school football teams have 5-10 coaches.

And yet, in business coaching usually stops at the strategic level.

You hire a facilitator for annual strategic planning sessions.

Or your business operating system implementer runs your annual and quarterly strategy meetings.

Which is great, because most business owners aren’t even doing that.

You’ve got someone in that head coach role, helping you create a vision of success & fire the team up and using their view from the sideline to help you spot emerging opportunities and threats.

But their focus is still on the first part of the equation, the strategic big picture.

When, just like in football, executing your strategy effectively comes down to the day-to-day performance of the team.

In football, position coaches focus on execution. They keep top players performing at high levels, get more out of players who aren’t operating at their full potential, and develop young players.

They also bring position-specific ideas, strategies, and tools based on experience. They have approaches for overcoming roadblocks and know how to draw out the best in players. And, like head coaches, their different perspective allows them to see into blind spots.

Imagine what a difference this type of support from a coach focused on execution would make.

Your COO/Second-in-Command (and/or your leadership team) would have support in real time. From someone other than you.

Goals and targets would stay front and center.

Ongoing access to an outside perspective, new approaches & tools, and different sight lines. would improve your ability to make quick adjustments.

Naturally, you’d be much more likely to hit, if not exceed, your targets.

And then celebrate like you won the Super Bowl.

Instead of staying trapped in a vicious cycle of incomplete passes, turnovers, blown tackles, and penalties.

If you do decide to revisit your coaching roster, get clear on what your needs are before you start recruiting your execution coach.

• Look at the goals that were missed for clues.
• Talk to your leadership team members about the challenges they are facing and the needs they are seeing in other levels.
• Survey employees about their thoughts on your company’s culture.

While there is always room for improvement around communication and leadership skills, focusing on those alone isn’t enough.

Elements of business operations like role clarity, alignment, accountability, meeting structure and cadence, and KPIs or metrics are generally the source.

Fortunately, getting those sorted out improves productivity, strengthens your organizational structure, and improves the culture. Plus, when you create clarity around roles and a shared understanding of accountability, under-performers usually step up or step out.

Also, make sure they are a good fit for you & your COO/Second-in-Command, or whoever they will be working most closely with.

Now get out there and win one for the Gipper!

Written by Diane E. Mentzer.
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