With the advent of ubiquitous personal technology such as smart phones and tablets, outfitted with social media interfaces (photo/audio/video sharing) that are always-on, always connected and always ready to share immediate capture of events, a new approach to strategy that is well communicated and “pervasive” throughout an organization, is now required.
What is “Pervasive Strategy?”
It’s is a typical strategy with high-level goals and short-, medium- and long-term measurable objectives, but clearly evangelized throughout a business’ ecosystem. It is deeply pervasively communicated such that everyone is aligned.
Isn’t it Obvious?
In today’s fast-paced business climate, how else will maximum speed toward a common goal be achieved? And, if everyone is not aligned, what amount of expended energy is detracting from forward progress? How does that detraction provide a competitor an opportunity or advantage.
Moreover, if your constituents, market or customers can see misalignment among forces inside your company, expect the observations to be captured, and your company to be called out. We see this everywhere in the news, and online in places like Angie’s List. You cannot get by unnoticed if people or groups are unaligned in your organization in today’s socially connected universe. It will be discovered and cause a crisis to manage.
What Does this Mean?
Traditionally, or at least historically, command and control style managers held strategy close to the chest, and shared only enough to move organizational silos down a path at a rate that was comfortable. This has all changed in a post-heroic leadership world where pushing power and decision-making down into the organization is known to accelerate objectives and produce better products. The last hold-outs of command and control leadership are being actively discovered and undressed in social media. You see it in the news every day.
Social, Is this Me?
If you think that you are a historical hold out – make plans now to change, before the inevitable public crisis occurs. Share your strategy openly. The fear that sharing strategy with your organization (those that will execute it) is unwarranted, and to be secretive with strategy will hobble your company and retard results. The value of accelerating strategy far outweighs the potential of competitors learning from it – it’s not theirs, nor will it likely fit their culture.
Do it, Now!
Communicating strategy aggressively ensures that your entire business ecosystem knows what to do to achieve success. Instant alignment of company, partners and customers. Your organization and your company (and your career) will benefit.
