If the company strategic plan was a multiple choice question, would you recognise it?

If you do, then you are 1 of only 20% of employees who believe business leaders have a clear strategic direction for their organisation, a whopping 74% don’t have faith in company’s transformative strategies and a fifth of staff will flatly ignore them anyway.

Strategic thinking is the ability to zoom out, make objective observations on a continued basis to achieve a competitive advantage. It is reported that 97% of business leaders see strategic planning as key, whilst 85% say they spend less than an hour a week being strategic.

Ignoring strategy is not strategic – you need a killer coffee!

Less than hour a week, invest that time in a 30 minute Dafferns killer coffee. Create space to step away, get to your burning business issues, redefine your core purpose and get your ‘Now’ ‘Where’ How’ down on paper. Make sure you are delivering amazing work on the right things, let go of limiting leadership traits and bathe in an unstructured brain-storming latte, a mindmap mocha, a forcefield flat white and a killer coffee with Dafferns.

Think with others for perspective – sign up for Business Leaders Group

Where do you get your insights from? Learning about the experiences of others can expand one’s own thinking, your knowledge bank and your knowledge network. It is said that the value of your company is equal to the sum of the problems you are able to solve. The ability to see a situation from a different perspective can enhance your problem-solving skills and enrich interpersonal skills. Our Business Leaders Group is the perfect setting to connect with like minded peers. Find out more here.

You simply cannot over-communicate change – free business change success diagnostic

Around two thirds of well formulated strategic plans fail because of poor execution. Number one reason, poor communication closely followed by a lack of leadership. It is said that only 1 in 4 may have sight of the strategic plan,  a no surprise culture is essential to driving change so put it on the wall. If you are not sure how change ready your business is, try our business change success diagnostic here.

Where do you get your business insights from – listen to the Daffernomics podcast 

Reportedly, 78% of small businesses see their accountant as a trusted advisor, someone who can help bridge the knowledge gap that goes beyond numbers. Business knowledge goes beyond what’s happening in your business right now. It can range from building sustainable competitive advantage, fostering a positive workplace culture to economic perspectives in an interconnected global marketplace. Check out our perfect travel time podcasts here.

Remember, a series of workplace events does not make a strategy, your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to articulate the objective, scope and advantage of your business in a simple statement to both colleagues and prospects alike!

Simon Cossey is Dafferns’ Business Development Consultant and part of our Strategic Advisory team.