Friday's Growth
Inspiration

Time to set new goals?

There is an ongoing debate in strategy circles – should we set strategic goals first and then define a strategy to determine how we ‘get there’ or should we rather set the strategy first and use goals as a bridge into implementation – into unpacking what the strategy demands of us and where we should focus next? The traditional approach, whether we follow a business planning process, a balanced scorecard or even OKR’s is that to set smart objectives, we need a coherent strategy. Goals, in contrast to a purpose statement or a vision, which focus on the ‘Why’, help bring the strategy into clear and implementable terms.

So is it case closed then or has the debate re-opened in the uncertain environment in which we find ourselves? What we find in our work is that the relationship between strategic goals and strategy is more dynamic than may appear at first glance. And this has important implications for our ability to execute at speed and at scale.

In a world in which we need to innovate, often facing a gap between our aspiration and execution outcomes, strategic goals introduced as part of the strategy definition process, can help challenge the current business strategy, not merely to confirm it. Such goals may highlight where execution of the strategy could put the business at risk or where new ways of executing are needed, to close this gap. In short, the best goals evolve as the strategy (and the practicalities of how we intend to execute on it) take shape.

Strategic goals, in this environment, are not merely a mechanistic outcome, a necessary ticking of the box, but rather a way to sense-check the options which the strategy provides, they make us think (long and hard) about how execution would take place and how we’d know that we are navigating in the direction we seek. Ready to set some new goals? That is often a good place to find ourselves in…at the outset!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Saar Ben-Attar (A Connector Beyond Limits)

Useful Links:

Our Manifesto 2.0

Radical Focus – Achieving your most important goals with Objectives and Key results (Christina Wodtke’s work is such a nice read into this topic)

"Setting Objectives and Key Results is more than just setting a goal, it’s about living the goal and creating a habit" - Christina Wodtke

Christina Wodtke

Upcoming podcast episode

This week, we invited into our virtual studio Willem Kitshoff, the CEO of D6 Communications, an innovative firm that has been quietly changing the way schools operate, manage and communicate with parents. They are passionate about solving real problems, in an environment that is often more challenging than meets the eye, such as how to de-cash schools or how to engender trust between schools and parents, in these extraordinary times. We spoke about their growth journey to date and their expansion plans, beyond current markets. A fascinating conversation…

By subscribing to our Podcast series, you will receive notice as this and new episodes air.

hiddengrowthchampions.podbean.com

our content mural

We have collated cutting-edge content from various sources – conversations with change makers as well as our team at Ascent Growth Partners, on growing beyond borders – industry boundaries, challenging markets and new forms of competition, into one digital board (mural).

You can browse through key topics, such as:

– Leading in the New Normal
– Setting our ambition and goals
– Building new options
– Adopting new capabilities for future-
fit organizations; and
– Bringing strategy & innovation to life

To access the mural, please click on the link below and choose an item that interests you. At the bottom of each item, you will find a link that would take you to the full text / audio version. If you would like to know more about our work or have a question to ask, please feel free to contact us for more.

View the mural.