Tag Archives: strategic initiatives

A Master List of Questions for Strategic Initiatives

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Greg Githens

More than 80 good questions for leaders of strategic initiatives, provided by Greg Githens, who notes that “leaders lead by asking questions.” These questions are categorized: strategic path finding; betterment of risk, issues, and decisions; and elaborating requirements, solution design, and value propositions. Continue reading →

Posted in Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Useful Practices & Management Tools | Tagged ambiguity, Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Decision making, leading strategic initiatives, questions, strategic initiatives, Strategic Planning Issues for Strategic Initiatives, strategic thinking | 3 Comments

HSBC’s Powerful Idea: Separate “Change the Business” from “Run the Business”

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Greg Githens

Strategic initiatives are intended to change the business, but have to compete with run the business imperatives for resources. HSBC has a simple powerful concept for portfolio prioritization: it’s either run the business or change the business. Greg Githens explains the concept, and covers three lessons for leaders of strategic initiatives: use this as a first cut, pay attention to the follow-the-money story, and think more deeply about the question, What is strategic alignment? http://wp.me/pZCkk-z6 Continue reading →

Posted in Program & Portfolio Management, Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives | Tagged Business transformation, change the business, HSBC, portfolio management, project prioritization, run the business, Strategic initiative, strategic initiatives, Strategic management | 7 Comments

How to Be Strong Minded (3 Capabilities and 5 Tips for Strategic Thinking)

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Greg Githens

Strong minds produce strong ideas. Strong minds do not fail. Strong minded thinkers have three competencies: 1) they are good a probing and sensing, 2) they imagine the logical future consequences of decisions and actions, and 3) they look for opportunities to apply ingenuity. The article provides practical questions that will help the reader develop these competencies. The article also provides five tips for robustness: avoid mistakes, develop emotional resiliency, reflect, and generate alternative solutions. Continue reading →

Posted in Strategy, Ambiguity, and Strong-Minded Thinking | Tagged competencies, Critical thinking, how to be strong minded, Leadership, robustness, Strategic initiative, strategic initiatives, Strategic management, Strategic planning, strategic thinking, Strategy, strong mind | 7 Comments

Why Your Organization Will Perform Better With Fewer Strategic Initiatives: Six Bits Evidence

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Greg Githens

Companies that have fewer strategic initiatives more likely to be at the top of their industry. Why? The discipline and focus of strategic choice! Too many projects and initiatives tend to cause fire fighting, distraction, frustration, etc. This article will provide you with examples and good talking points for maintaining focus on the “vital few” strategies rather than the trivial many. Continue reading →

Posted in Program & Portfolio Management, Strategic Planning Issues for Strategic Initiatives, Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives | Tagged case study, evidence, prioritizing initiatives, Strategic initiative, strategic initiatives, Strategic planning, strategy execution, Texas Instruments | 6 Comments

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

What’s Scary, Weird, Stupid, or Hard? A Tip for Improving your Story Telling

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Greg Githens

The strategic initiative leader is the chief story teller. Stories have turning points that resolves tension. Humor can help with tension resolution. By identifying what is scary, weird, stupid, and hard, the leader can find humor. Includes application of the four areas to Domino’s Pizza Turnaround strategic initiative case.This tip is the first of the “How to Improve Your Story Telling Chops” series. Continue reading →

Posted in How to Improve Your Story Telling Chops | Tagged Chief storyteller, Decision making, Domino, Humor, Leadership, Patrick Doyle, questions, stories, strategic initiatives, strategic thinking, strategy formulation, Stupidity | 5 Comments

Contrast the Pain and the Gain: How to Use Benefits to Sell and Motivate

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Greg Githens

You can improve your benefits propositions and get more stakeholder commitment by contrasting the pain and the gain. Three example benefits propositions are provided. Also, the value of asking, “Who has the pain?” and “Besides yourself, who has the pain?” Continue reading →

Posted in Incremental Benefits Delivery, Useful Practices & Management Tools | Tagged benefits propositions, economic benefits, emotive benefits, Stakeholder (corporate), strategic initiatives, who has the pain | 5 Comments

How to Build Consensus in the Strategic Initiatives Team

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Greg Githens

Consensus is a vital skill for strategic initiatives. Consensus means that there is 100% agreement to support the IMPLEMENTATION of the decision. Greg Githens explains the two necessary factors for achieving consensus (define the team and have a visible signal) and describes a personal experience in helping an IT group reach agreement on requirements. Continue reading →

Posted in Useful Practices & Management Tools | Tagged Business, commitment, Consensus decision-making, Decision making, Initiative, management tools, Problem Solving, program management, Project management, strategic initiatives, Strategic management, strategic thinking, Strategy, teams | 7 Comments

A Template for Strategic Objectives (Benefits Propositions, Part 3): A.D.V.I.C.E. & Business Drivers

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Greg Githens

This article explains how to write a strategic objective with a verb that addresses a business driver. The ADVICE acronym is provided for the verbs. Several examples of strategic objectives are provides. Part of a series on benefits propositions for strategic initiatives. Continue reading →

Posted in Incremental Benefits Delivery, Program & Portfolio Management, Useful Practices & Management Tools | Tagged benefits, Business, Business model, CFO, Chief financial officer, Chief information officer, Disney, Google, program management, Stakeholder (corporate), strategic initiatives, Strategic management, strategic objectives | 5 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 →