When talking about implementing strategic management in an organization, it consequently also means talking about cultural change in the company or public body. If this point is not taken into consideration and is not well planned, strategy, which should be the new focus, becomes just a more “colorful” way of carrying out activities. For strategic management to make a difference in the company, it is necessary to be open to structural changes and prepare for these changes to become part of the new organizational culture.
Priscila Nogueira, director of strategic alliances at Stratec, states that no strategy can be successful if the organization is not prepared to implement it. Furthermore, another common issue in companies is that many strategies that could be winners do not get off the ground due to the difficulty of getting the organization to mobilize around them.
“Strategic repositioning to be different requires significant changes in how we view the business and the market,” says Cássio Ramos, from Qualytool Consulting Group. According to him, internal changes that begin at the strategic and cultural base of the organization.
Priscila believes that achieving results in difficult and complex environments is increasingly becoming the norm for organizations. If the implementation of a new strategy foresees a change in the organization's way of working (systems, processes, skills), then cultural change should be considered a fundamental element for achieving success. “Failed cultural changes lead to a loss of leadership credibility, organizational apathy, high costs, and a weak competitive position,” she warns.
Ramos explains that the current discourse from companies looking to survive in the market is that they need to have one or more differentiators in their product/service. “If they just want to survive, I agree,” he jokes. He explains that if a company wants to grow and become a leader, a differentiator alone is not enough; it requires strategic planning and management. “In fact, a large part of the differentiators incorporated into products are the beliefs of certain people within the company and are not that important to the consumer or final customer. If we focus on what truly matters to the customer and significantly improve these attributes, there will be a major change in the business and its results,” he says. However, he warns that this type of change is not easy because it impacts the company's culture, processes, and image.
But how to achieve the necessary cultural changes for strategy implementation? Or how to implement the strategy and generate the necessary cultural change? This is what Priscila questions. “What comes first? Or are the egg and the chicken born together? In this case, yes. A good strategy should make clear to all employees the destination of the journey. It should also have clear implementation plans. Strategy without plans does not reach all levels of the organization, people do not know how to collaborate to achieve it. Without knowing how to collaborate, they will not mobilize. If they don't mobilize, they won't commit,” she emphasizes.
Priscila further adds that employee satisfaction comes from achieving goals. The initial commitment, obtained through challenge, transparency, clarity of purpose, performance support through coaching and training, and positive reinforcement from leaders, is strengthened when goals are met. “For this, good action plans are needed, followed with discipline. No magic tricks, just management,” she jokes.
The fact is that successful strategic management requires and provides cultural change. Companies that are better prepared to face such a situation will undoubtedly get ahead in the market. “Without it, the strategy will just be a blueprint of good intentions,” warns Priscila.
To facilitate the adaptation of the organization's employees to the new strategic management model, it is important to have a system that organizes information and facilitates the monitoring of indicators and action plans. Stratec's Strategic Management Software offers a user-friendly and simple interface, creating rapid user identification with the tool.
