Category Archives: Examples of Strategic Initiatives

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Strategic Initiative Case Study: Delivering Large Cost Savings in Healthcare IT Infrastructure

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Greg Githens

How a manager saw an opportunity to align his work with executive vision for IT cost savings, and drove significant benefits through a large healthcare organization. Summarizes value of elevator speech, key actions, team building, managing around a boss, and incremental benefits delivery. Continue reading →

Posted in Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Transforming the Organization | Tagged Business transformation, case study, elevator speech, health care, Information technology management, IT infrastructure, Kaiser Permanente, Leadership, program management, strategic initiatives, Strategic management, strategic thinking, transformation, vision | 4 Comments

Director Business Transformation: Position Description & Relationship to Strategic Initiatives

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Greg Githens

Provides three examples of Director Business Transformation roles at Hertz, Sears, and SuperValu and suggests that there are similarities and distinctions with roles for VP, Director, or Manager of Strategic Initiatives. Continue reading →

Posted in Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Transforming the Organization | Tagged Best practice, Business, Business transformation, change management, Chief financial officer, director, Greg Githens, growth, Hertz, Information Technology, job, Management, Organizational Development, position, program management, Project management, Sears, Strategic initiative, strategic initiatives, Strategic management, Supervalu, transformation, transformation initiatives | 6 Comments

Use the As-Is-&-To-Be Table to Clarify Strategic Initiative Vision

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Greg Githens

This is a practical technique for strategic initiative vision, similar to gap analysis. It includes a case example of how Greg Githens used it to help a COO and team structure a floundering strategic initiative for better performance. He advises more effort on the To Be visioning and addressing ambiguity. He cautions about the risk of analysis paralysis. This article can help managers involved in strategy formulation and strategy execution. Continue reading →

Posted in Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Interpreting Strategy Documents, Transforming the Organization, Useful Practices & Management Tools | Tagged ambiguity, analysis paralysis, as is, best practices, blueprint, Business model, change management, Chief operating officer, Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, future state, gap analysis, management tools, process, program management, questions, re-engineering, Stakeholder (corporate), strategic initiatives, Strategic planning, strategy formulation, to be, transformation, vision | 12 Comments

A Guide to the Three Types of Strategy and Business Model Scope

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Greg Githens

Strategic initiatives arise to support three types of strategies. Corporate strategies have to do with market selection. Business strategies have to do with competing within a business model. Functional strategies have to do with effective specialization. Each interact with the business model’s value proposition. Continue reading →

Posted in Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Interpreting Strategy Documents, Strategic Planning Issues for Strategic Initiatives, Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives | Tagged Business, Business model, Business Model Canvas, business value, case study, Domino's Pizza, Greg Githens, Initiative, Management, Microsoft, Nokia, program management, resource availability, strategic alignment, Strategic initiative, Strategic management, Strategic Planning Issues for Strategic Initiatives, Strategy, strategy execution, strategy formulation, Swiss Life, transformation | 18 Comments

Does Your Strategic Initiative Need a Fresh Perspective?

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Greg Githens

Greg explains how to overcome headwinds in a strategic initiative with 4 perspectives: storytelling, learning, integration, and decisions. He illustrates how each role is applied through a case study.

http://wp.me/pZCkk-kf Continue reading →

Posted in Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Strategy Coaching and Facilitation, Useful Practices & Management Tools | Tagged ambiguity, chief decision architect, chief integration officer, Chief learning officer, Chief storyteller, Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Decision making, Greg Githens, intuition, Issue management, Learning, management tools, partitioning problems, program management, questions, Strategic initiative, Strategic management, strategic thinking, strategy execution, teams, transformation, vision | 1 Comment

Growth as a Strategic Initiative

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Greg Githens

Companies are shifting into a growth mode and we will see more strategic initiatives that emphasize a blend of incremental, platform and radical transformation. The drivers of growth may be strategy innovation, product innovation, or process innovation. It may be organic or inorganic growth, with use of open innovation straddling the two. The leader will need to develop an understanding of what growth means, and apply the described techniques for structuring a strategic initiative to gain growth. Continue reading →

Posted in Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Interpreting Strategy Documents, Strategic Planning Issues for Strategic Initiatives, Transforming the Organization | Tagged ambiguity, Business, business development, Chief executive officer, GE Growth Playbook, Greg Githens, growth, IBM, incremental innovation, innovation, Inorganic growth, New product development, new service developement, open innovation, platform innovation, Procter & Gamble, program management, radical innovation, Sales, Samuel J. Palmisano, Strategic initiative, Strategy, strategy innovation, transformation | 7 Comments

Vice President, Director, Manager of Strategic Initiatives: Position Description Best Practices

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Greg Githens

Greg Githens reviewed a number of employment opportunities for individuals with the phrase “strategic initiatives” in the job title (and the trend is upward). Examples are Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Director of Strategic Initiatives, and Manager of Strategic Initiatives. This article provides a snapshot of five positions and commentary on trends and omissions. Continue reading →

Posted in Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Program & Portfolio Management, Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives | Tagged American Express, balanced score card, Balanced scorecard, case study, Chief financial officer, Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Conifer Health Solutions, director, enterprise strategic program manager, Green Dot, growth, job, Management, Mattel, Organizational Development, position, program management, Project management, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Strategic initiative, Strategic Initiatives Group, Strategic management, Strategic planning, strategy map, The Hartford, transformation, vice president, vp | 8 Comments

Strategic Initiatives Drive Growth and Innovation in the Travel Industry

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Greg Githens

Competitive industries – for example the travel industry – use strategic initiatives to create competitive advantage. Greg Githens explains that there are 5 important tasks for leaders of strategic initiatives to create growth through innovation: understanding the brand promise, understanding the voice of the customer, effectively leveraging business intelligence, establishing appropriate success metrics, and driving effective and fast decisions. One example is how Vancouver’s port made it easier for US citizens to clear customs for cruise ships. A second example is how Hilton is innovating in its design of hotel business lounges. A third example for Marriott hotel’s bedding initiative. Continue reading →

Posted in Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives, Transforming the Organization | Tagged airline, brand promise, Business, business intelligence, Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, cruise line, cruise port, Decision making, fast decisions, Greg Githens, growth, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, hotel operations, innovation, Management, Marriott, ncl, norwegian, Problem Solving, Strategic management, strategy execution, strategy formulation, success metric, Tourism, transformation, Travel, vision, voice of the customer | 2 Comments

Strategic Initiative Case Study: Destination Disney

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Greg Githens

Destination Disney was a strategic initiative that deployed a customer relationship management solution that transformed the customer experience at Disney World from product centric to guest centric. Greg Githens points out that an important leadership lessons is using the customer experience as a driver for the strategic initiative. Continue reading →

Posted in Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives | Tagged business drivers, customer experience, Customer Relationship Management, delight, Disney, Goal, Greg Githens, program management, Strategic initiative, strategic project, strategy execution, transformation, vision, Walt Disney World | 6 Comments

What are the Strategic Pillars that Support the Vision?

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Greg Githens

Strategic pillars and planks hold up the strategic vision. Describes examples of strategic initiatives at Google, Boy Scouts of America, Schibsted, GE, pet supplies retailer, and an approach for content marketing strategies. Continue reading →