<section><h2><p>Matching Strategy to Present State</p></h2><p><h2 style="text-align:left;">Before you jump into strategy, how can you quickly assess the “lay of the land”?</h2><h4 style="text-align:left;"><em>A common mistake is to begin moving forward without first reaching a consensus on where your organization needs to go.</em></h4><p>Michael D. Watkins's book, <em>The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter</em> (HBR Press, 2013), is often referred to as “the onboarding bible.” It also happens to be an excellent guide for rapid strategy development.</p><p>Within, Watkins presents the STARS model as a quick way to define what sort of business situation you are walking into:</p><ul><li>Start-Up</li><li>Turnaround</li><li>Accelerated Growth</li><li>Realignment</li><li>Sustaining Success<br /></li></ul><p> </p><p>The strategic responses you develop will vary significantly based on which state you identify your organization as inhabiting.</p><p>It is unlikely you will encounter a situation that perfectly aligns with the above as often different parts of an organization will be in different states. Accordingly, you can use this exercise to focus in on smaller units with the understanding that the aligned strategies and tactics will vary.<br /></p><p>Though this assessment will give you an indication of where you are and where you need to go, we recommend using it only as a starting point for discussion with your team.<br /></p><p><strong>Collaboratively</strong> defining where you are will save you an immense amount of time when you move into planning and allows you to begin developing buy-in from the start. Defining the present state using shared language reduces friction in future parts of the process.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Keep in mind:</strong></p><p>The assessment does not literally define the state you are in but rather the approach with which you should approach your planning. For example, you could literally be in a Start-Up but the present state for your company, division, or project may be Realignment.</p><p> </p><p><strong>INSTRUCTIONS:</strong><br /></p><ol><li>Decide whether you are responding to the questions asked as a department, division, or entire organization.<br /></li><li>Ensure you maintain this focus throughout the entire assessment to get a reliable outcome.</li><li>Repeat the assessment to define the present state of various organizational units, if required.<br /></li></ol><h2></h2></p></section><section><h2><h2><strong>Start-Up</strong></h2></h2><p><p><strong>What It Looks Like: </strong></p><p>Start-up is defined by pulling together the capabilities (talent, money, tech, and other assets) to get a new venture or project up and going.</p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Challenges:</span></p><ul><li>Building strategy, structures, and systems from scratch without any pre-existing guidelines or frameworks.</li><li>Establishing a team that is high-performing and ensuring that they work well together.</li><li>Having to do all of the above with limited resources (bootstrapping).</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Opportunities:</span></p><ul><li>Well-established entities have often become "Frankenstein's monsters" as dysfunctions go unaddressed through the various stages of growth. This allows you to build it the right way from the start.</li><li>It can be challenging to motivate an established team to change. Those attracted to a Start-up environment are innately energized by the possibility of what may become and open to the frequent and rapid pivots required to get there.</li><li>You get to start with a relatively blank slate without having to fight against a mountain of pre-conceptions that have been built up over time.</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Next Steps:</span></p><ol><li>Go through a process with your team to ensure there is agreement on your present state.</li><li>As you move forward with planning, ensure the reality of your present state is maintained by recognizing when strategies or tactics are proposed that are inappropriate for where you are.</li><li>By reviewing the other potential states in the STARS model, identify the <strong>desired future state</strong> and establish metrics that make it clear when you have successfully arrived.</li><li>Make sure you pause to acknowledge and celebrate when the desired future state is reached.</li></ol></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Turnaround</strong></h2></h3><p><p><strong>What It Looks Like: </strong></p><p>Turnaround is defined by your attempt to save an initiative or organization that is clearly in significant distress.</p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Challenges:</span></p><ul><li>Motivating and engaging stakeholders and staff who are demoralized by the present state.</li><li>Having to make good decisions under significant time constraints.</li><li>Being willing to stomach the difficulty of meaningful cuts of programs, products, and personnel.</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Opportunities:</span></p><ul><li>It is extremely difficult to sell change in an organization that seems to be doing fine. You are much more likely to have changes accepted when it is painfully obvious to all that the organization or initiative is fighting for survival.</li><li>Survival may be seen as imperative by other stakeholders. This can result in significant external support.</li><li>When an organization is teetering on the brink, even small wins are seen as meaningful progress and can reinvigorate all involved.</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Next Steps:</span></p><ol><li>Go through a process with your team to ensure there is agreement on your present state.</li><li>As you move forward with planning, ensure the reality of your present state is maintained by recognizing when strategies or tactics are proposed that are inappropriate for where you are.</li><li>By reviewing the other potential states in the STARS model, identify the <strong>desired future state</strong> and establish metrics that make it clear when you have successfully arrived.</li><li>Make sure you pause to acknowledge and celebrate when the desired future state is reached.</li></ol></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Accelerated Growth</strong></h2></h3><p><p><strong>What It Looks Like: </strong></p><p>Accelerated growth is defined as a rapidly expanding organization or initiative.</p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Challenges:</span></p><ul><li>Ensuring that systems and structures put in place allow for sustainable and scalable growth.</li><li>Making decisions very quickly without losing sight of the long-term.</li><li>Successfully onboarding large numbers of new personnel.</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Opportunities:</span><br /></p><ul><li>People are innately motivated by the potential for growth.</li><li>Personnel will be more inclined to stretch themselves as there is a significant likelihood of success.</li><li>It is much easier to add fuel to the fire than to light the spark in the first place.</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Next Steps:</span></p><ol><li>Go through a process with your team to ensure there is agreement on your present state.</li><li>As you move forward with planning, ensure the reality of your present state is maintained by recognizing when strategies or tactics are proposed that are inappropriate for where you are.</li><li>By reviewing the other potential states in the STARS model, identify the <strong>desired future state</strong> and establish metrics that make it clear when you have successfully arrived.</li><li>Make sure you pause to acknowledge and celebrate when the desired future state is reached.</li></ol></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Realignment</strong></h2></h3><p><p><strong>What It Looks Like: </strong></p><p>Realignment is defined by reenergizing a previously successful organization or initiative that is now facing challenges.</p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Challenges:</span></p><ul><li>It is very challenging to motivate change in employees if they do not yet recognize that the organization or initiative is in trouble.</li><li>Refocusing and reorganizing leadership to align with a new direction is often met with resistance.</li><li>The feeling of "going backward" can result in an identity crisis for personnel that takes time and sensitivity to address.</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Opportunities:</span></p><ul><li>There are still pockets of strength that can be built upon.</li><li>Once the present state is acknowledged, most staff will come on board out of a desire to continue to see themselves as successful.</li><li>Reminding everyone that you were successful before and can be so again, is a meaningful and logical source of motivation.</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Next Steps:</span></p><ol><li>Go through a process with your team to ensure there is agreement on your present state.</li><li>As you move forward with planning, ensure the reality of your present state is maintained by recognizing when strategies or tactics are proposed that are inappropriate for where you are.</li><li>By reviewing the other potential states in the STARS model, identify the <strong>desired future state</strong> and establish metrics that make it clear when you have successfully arrived.</li><li>Make sure you pause to acknowledge and celebrate when the desired future state is reached.</li></ol></p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Sustaining Success</strong></h2></h3><p><p><strong>What It Looks Like: </strong></p><p>Sustaining success is defined by preserving the health of an organization or initiative while simultaneously exploring opportunities to "level-up".</p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Challenges:</span></p><ul><li>As a leader, you will likely find yourself living in the shadow of your predecessor and their way of running their team.</li><li>Pushing back against being overly confident by ensuring that you have shored up the foundation before jumping into new initiatives.</li><li>Fighting against the mentality of "if it ain't broke" as you attempt to identify ways to create further growth. </li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Opportunities:</span></p><ul><li>You likely already have a strong team in place.</li><li>The promise of continued success is a strong motivator (loss aversion).</li><li>A strong foundation will allow you to take some bigger swings that could result in some huge wins.</li></ul><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> </span></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Next Steps:</span></p><ol><li>Go through a process with your team to ensure there is agreement on your present state.</li><li>As you move forward with planning, ensure the reality of your present state is maintained by recognizing when strategies or tactics are proposed that are inappropriate for where you are.</li><li>By reviewing the other potential states in the STARS model, identify the <strong>desired future state</strong> and establish metrics that make it clear when you have successfully arrived.</li><li>Make sure you pause to acknowledge and celebrate when the desired future state is reached.</li></ol></p></section><section><h2><h2><strong>Which of the below best describes the processes and policies presently in place?</strong></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h2></section><section><h3><h2><strong>How much 'trouble' are you in?</strong></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>How quickly must you achieve a change in state?</strong></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>How capable is your unit / division / department / organization of embracing change as a whole?</strong></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>What is the general internal perception of the growth achieved over the past fiscal year?</strong></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong style="">How would you define the level of staff engagement overall?</strong></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>What is the overall mood of staff presently?</strong><strong style="font-size:1.5em;"></strong><br /></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>If you were 'successful' in achieving the desired future state in the short to medium term, how would that likely be defined?</strong><strong style="font-size:1.5em;"></strong><br /></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong style="">How would you define the resources you have at your disposal to bring about a desired future state?</strong><strong style="font-size:1.5em;"> </strong><br /></h2><p>(choose one option below)</p></h3></section>