HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL
“I work very hard; please don’t expect me to think as well.”
—Ashleigh BrilliantWEB WORKSHEET
Follow these steps to analyze your client or customer base.
- Do some thinking for yourself.Although you need a reasonably clear idea of what should
go in the planning matrix that follows, be careful not to close your thinking to input
from others. Do you have any givens—those things that you cannot compromise?
Leaders need to be decisive regarding their client or customer bases and the group’s
product and service mix so that people know the group’s direction. However, don’t be
so decisive that you become inflexible, and group members feel that they can’t chal-
lenge established practices or contribute new ideas. [☛3.3 Environmental Scan] - Involve others. Sooner or later, your workgroup or team needs to agree to, and commit
to, a strategy for providing products and services to specified clients or customers. The
only path to commitment is involving group members and allowing them to influence
strategic decisions. If your group is very large, you may need to assemble a task force—
ideally, the best strategic thinkers from your group—to represent the group in this
strategic decision-making process. You will want to lead this group, as strategic think-
ing is crucial to your success. You need to involve others, but this work cannot be del-
egated. [☛10.7 Getting Participation] - Decide how you will proceed. Depending on the lead time available, and how big a break
with tradition you expect to make, this process may be done quick and dirty at some
risk; or, more ideally, over a series of meetings with input from clients, senior manage-
ment, and others not on the task force. [☛5.1 Change Equation] - Complete this matrix. Write in key names and key activities. Remember the 80-20 rule.
Don’t get caught up in detail and analysis paralysis. Plan action steps after you have
completed this matrix. For example: What can you do to add more customers or clients
to the high value-added side of this matrix? What steps can you take to reduce low-
value activities?
SECTION 3 TOOLS FORSTRATEGICTHINKING 87