Our brand strategy, our business strategy, our go-to-market strategy, our social media strategy, it’s all worthless. All that time contemplating, debating and refining, it’s all worthless. Unless… the organization can execute tactically.
The success of the brand, will be determined by the organizations ability to embody its unique principles and values in all that it does; and to continue to do so as the business scales.
The success of the business will be determined by the organizations ability to understand and execute the business plan; while dealing with market challenges outside of its control and the growing pains faced as the businesses scale.
The success of the marketing will be determined by the organizations ability to align its efforts across multiple teams, internal and external, to put the energy of the entire organization behind the tip of the messaging and experiential spear.
At the end of the day, the success of a business comes down to the success of people. The ability of individuals to execute, and do so as a collective in lock step with their peers.
We spend little time developing talent. We financially penalize those that stick around and reward the new person with that prestigious college and big brand on their resume. We spend little time building leaders and furthering education. Once a year we align the troops on a plan, then send them off to a year-long battle that never unfolds as designed.
Strategy is necessary. Planning is critical. Execution, by individual people, in the trenches, trying to balance work and life and emotions and desires, that is what determines if we live, die or thrive as an organization.
What are we going to do about that? How can we best ensure success? Maybe we should start by dedicating a bit more of our time to our people, instead of our spreadsheets.
Also published on Medium.