In a complex environment such as healthcare, agility is often thought to be a hallmark of organizational success. However, a top management consultant says the ability to make measured strategic decisions is more important to sustaining organizational success over time than being able to quickly change course.
In an "Ask the Experts" column in the Wall Street Journal, Cesare R. Mainardi, CEO of management consulting firm Booz & Co., explains "Booz & Co. research shows that winning companies—like Apple, IKEA, Haier, Natura, and Toyota—haven't been particularly agile in the sense of moving all over the place rapidly. Yes, they were proactive. But more important, they were measured and coherent about the big, strategic choices they made."
He provides five questions to assess an organization's ability to make sound decisions that will lead to organizational success in even the most complex and disruptive environments:
"1. How can I build an identity for my company, ensure we stay true to it, and use it to drive our growth?
2. How can I get in front of market trends and shape the wants and needs of my customers?
3. How can I translate my company’s strategic intent into the everyday and make sure our core efforts go to building the capabilities that will differentiate us in the market?
4. How can I leverage our culture and people to make our firm powerful, unique, and distinctive relative to our competitors?
5. How can we cut costs and grow stronger, while investing in the capabilities that matter most to bring value to the market?"
To read the full "Ask the Experts" column featuring Mr. Mainardi, click here.