You spend time, all throughout the year, developing and establishing a strategy that you expect will garner the results you want. But a strategy is just a strategy until it is put into production, and often the execution stage is where things run aground. Achieving operational alignment can be difficult, but with the right tools, it is an attainable goal!

We came across this thoughtful article from Business Finance recently that we thought we’d share, as it delves deep into the challenges organizations (specifically financial executives) face when it comes to operational alignment and how to overcome them. Check it out here: http://businessfinancemag.com/business-performance-management/operational-alignment-bridging-gap-between-strategy-and-execution.

What does the author suggest as far as realizing alignment across your organization? It is all about bridging the gap between strategy and execution: “To bridge the gap between strategy and employees’ day-to-day execution of that strategy, a company’s executives must succeed in four areas… When an organization has achieved these four goals, it has achieved operational alignment, and it is in a strong position to adapt to the changing world of business.

1.  Motivation: motivate your employees by clearly communicating your objectives and how they impact the overall success of the company.    Do it in a way that is relevant to all involved.

2.  Management: be sure to manage your operational programs in a way that empowers individuals to take ownership of the strategic              objectives.

3 & 4.   Monitoring and Measuring: proactively monitor your progress and measure your KPIs as you move through your objectives and keep  everyone apprised of this progress as well any that may be a hindrance along the way.

As the article notes, by keeping your strategy and execution in sync you have a much greater chance of succeeding in meeting your targets and achieving your goals. It is all about alignment.

At True Sky, we have the tools that can help you make achieving operational alignment, especially with regard to your financial objectives, easy. Find out more by visiting www.truesky.com.