{"id":38946,"date":"2024-06-26T09:49:14","date_gmt":"2024-06-26T08:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turner.nl\/uncategorized\/universal-principles-for-effective-strategy-execution\/"},"modified":"2025-08-11T12:12:37","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T10:12:37","slug":"universal-principles-for-effective-strategy-execution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turner.nl\/en\/strategy-execution\/universal-principles-for-effective-strategy-execution\/","title":{"rendered":"Universal principles for effective strategy execution"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Strategy = Execution<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Universal principles for effective strategy execution<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Strategy execution is a business process like any other in a professional organization and therefore needs a model. Extensive research at Turner Consultancy allowed us to distill four accelerators and sixteen building blocks that together make up a model for successful Strategy Execution.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Strategy execution is a business process like any other<\/strong><\/h2>

In our three years of research, one leader said:<\/p>

\u201cIf I look at all our failed strategic change initiatives, I see a crystal clear pattern emerge. In each of these, we skipped steps from idea to execution. And you can\u2019t do that with impunity. On the Running the Business side, we\u2019re all well-versed in business process thinking. We\u2019ve got sales processes, marketing processes, operational processes, logistical processes, sourcing processes, and so on. But on the Changing the Business side, we assume the results will just magically appear. Which is clearly not the case. \u2026 Strategy execution in change initiatives is a process that also requires the whole organization to speak the same language and use the same method.\u201d<\/p>

For any process to be effective, it needs to be comprised of logical steps with an overall coherence. The idea is to eliminate any redundant steps. To create a clear overview, I have dissected the entire strategy execution process and subdivided it into four accelerators and 16 building blocks.<\/p>

Although there\u2019s a logical progression to the steps that make up strategy execution, I would not recommend that you use the framework in a step-by-step, waterfall manner. In real life, things are often tricky and you seldom start a project with a blank slate. There is no building from scratch. In practice, you might have to deal with an existing innovation project, and have to start at Building Block 12, which is about bridging the gap between the project and the line organization. Or you might join the project when it\u2019s at Building Block 15, which is about learning from your mistakes, so<\/p>

you can avoid making them again. Every accelerator and every building block in Strategy = Execution can be used independently. To use it sensibly, you will by definition need to take into account what industry you\u2019re in, what type of organization you work in, what issue you\u2019re addressing, and your organization\u2019s ambitions, capacities and maturity. A good chef relies on culinary principles, not standard recipes.<\/p>

Tailored<\/strong><\/p>

Since strategy execution is like any other process, it consists of a number of consecutive steps. Our research has shown that successfully executed strategies invariably feature four phases (accelerators) and 16 building blocks. Because these are universal, timeless and indispensable, you can\u2019t just pick and choose any at will. However, within the context of each building block, there is some room to tailor it to the specific needs of your project. And in some cases, you can skip a building block or two. For example, a small project aimed at introducing a regulatory change does not require appealing storytelling.<\/p>

Hard and soft capabilities<\/strong><\/p>

In this blogpost, I\u2019m going to briefly discuss the four accelerators and 16 building blocks. The first accelerator applies to the organization-wide process of setting the overall strategy while the other three are intended for executing strategic initiatives such as programs and projects.<\/p>

Each accelerator consists of four how-to building blocks, two of which deal with hard capabilities, and two with soft capabilities.<\/p>

The first building block in each accelerator deals with goals and benefits, or the why. The next row of hard building blocks refers to the contents of the strategy and the portfolio of initiatives, or the what. I consider these two types of building block to be \u2018hard\u2019.<\/p>

The third building block in each accelerator deals with the execution and change strategies, or the how, while the fourth building block in each accelerator\u2014the bottom row in the model below\u2014is about ownership of the initiative and the desired benefits, or the who. The latter two types of building block are \u2018soft\u2019 building blocks.<\/p>

Altogether, the accelerators and building blocks are the how-to for the future. In that sense, they are \u201cfuture practices\u201d rather than best practices.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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