There is no point in planning if the plan is not executed, under this premise, of vital importance, the efforts of every organization should be directed, in terms of its strategic plans.
by Héctor R. Torres, PhD, MBA, CPP, CFE, CHS*
A fraternal greeting from Puerto Rico to all colleagues and readers of this column. It is a pleasure to share again with you. In today's column we will talk about a discipline that has a lot of relevance in the business world of this century.
I am referring to the discipline of execution, an issue of great importance for corporations in terms of their strategic plans. No one plans for the sake of planning but that's what many corporations end up doing because the focus of their strategic plan is not focused on execution. There is no point in planning if the plan is not executed.
Background
Strategic plans are developed to adapt the organization to its business environment, achieve organizational changes required for adaptation, and achieve long-term business goals or objectives.
For years, the importance of strategic planning has been taught in the most prestigious business schools. It is taught how the mission, vision, and strategic objectives contribute to establishing the basis that will transform the organization and for the business goals to be met. A basic outline of a strategic plan consists of the following components:
Mission
(Redefines what the company does on a daily basis)
Vision
(Redefines what the company aspires to become in the long run)
SWOT analysis
(Analysis of strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats)
Strategic Objectives or Goals
(The goals that will enforce the 3-5 year long-term vision)
Action Plans
(Specific business plans to achieve strategic goals)
Short-Term Goals
(The annual goals that will enforce the strategic goals)
Functional Tactics
(Tactics used with clients to meet short-term goals)
The problem with many business organizations is focused on the doctrinal development of the strategic plan but not on how it is executed. According to Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Jim Huling, authors of the novel book The 4 Disciplines of Execution, we see how these strategic plans are developed, presented and approved and then be shelved suffering certain death by oblivion.
This phenomenon occurs because business organizations focus more on dealing with the company's day-to-day problems rather than executing the plan. They are sucked into the whirlwind of daily operational requirements and with so many requirements no one focuses on executing the strategic plan. However, when the purpose of the strategic plan is clear in the minds of everyone in an organization then the execution of it can be fulfilled even if the circumstances are adverse and the daily operations are complex.
Execution with purpose
Execution can be defined as the realization of a thing or the fulfillment of a project, commission or order. All execution must be based on an imperative purpose. A purpose that really moves the members of the organization. Without an imperative purpose there is no execution, and if there is, it is half-execution. The problem with many companies is that they think they have multiple purposes and want to do them all at the same time.
This causes the organization to move in multiple directions instead of concentrating all its forces, resources, and energies in one direction. The right approach to dealing with this should be in clearly establishing the true purpose of our strategic or business plans.
The clearer our purpose is then the clearer the way to achieve it in the minds of the members of an organization. Once the purpose is established then our true priorities in terms of courses of action to realize the purpose also begin to materialize. Let's look at this concept in a different way.
The next time you plan a project of a professional or personal nature, contemplate and ask yourself what the true purpose of the project is. You will notice the following rules:
1. The more defined the purpose, the more imperative the purpose will become.
2. The more imperative the purpose, the easier it will be to develop a plan to achieve that purpose.
3. The more imperative the purpose of the plan, the more imperative its execution will be.
In conclusion
Security as a corporate managerial function or business function is performed based on strategic plans. No organization plans to fail, yet they fail by not planning.
But the emphasis should never be on planning but more on execution. Decisive execution will not be achieved until the imperative purpose of our efforts is identified. I invite you to continue to share your ideas and concerns from the world and security management.
A hug and see you next time.
* If you wish you can write to the author of this article by email: [email protected]
