Purpose: to formulate the goals of the organization and adopt the courses of action and allocation of resources necessary for achieving those goals

Strategic characteristics:

• Not a one-off activity
• Dynamic and purposeful; evaluated based on internal and external influencers
• Data and insight driven
• Responsibility of executive leadership but should involve internal and external stakeholders

1. Aspects

Long-term, medium-term, short-term, respectively:

• Organization’s vision, objectives and direction are defined and continually validated or redefined
• Actions that are needed to realize the vision are identified, agreed, and communicated
• Execution of the strategy is continually evaluated, challenged, and improved

Strategy management provides inputs to other practices:

• Architecture management, workforce and talent management, risk management, service financial management, project management, organizational change management, portfolio management, relationship management
• Ensures organizational strategic alignment

2. Practice success factors (PSF)

Two PSFs for StM:

• Ensuring that the organization's strategies are effective and sustainable, and meet the stakeholders' evolving needs
• Ensuring that the agreed strategies and models are communicated across the organization and embedded into the organizations' practices and value streams

2.1 Effective and sustainable strategies

Effective strategies translate the purpose, needs and requirements to the organizational vision, objectives, business and operating models

Creating an effective strategy:

• Explore the strategy at long-, mid-, short-term intervals
• Reinvent and stimulate the strategic conversation
• Engage the entire organization
• Invest in the execution and monitoring of the strategic activities

Strategic reports:

• Operational: monitor performance and conformance, initiate corrective actions
• Analytical: data analysis, trends, explanations, investigations

Data-driven with insights: ALOE (ask, listen, observe, empathize), emotional, social, system intelligence

2.2 Strategies are communicated and embedded

A strategy is only as effective as it is executed – must be embedded in all practices, value streams, processes, products and services

Characteristics of a successfully executed strategy:

• Effective communication
• Continual improvement culture
• Effective organizational change management
• Vision and principles embedded in organizational culture

Design all practices for strategic alignment and continual improvement

Utilize techniques from organizational change management and workforce and talent management to develop a good organizational culture that supports the strategy

Review principles of good communication from DPI:

Communication principles	Strategic communication
Communication is a two-way process	Strategic communications should not be limited to one-way awareness communication or objective setting. Strategy should develop based on the input from stakeholders, including feedback
We are all communicating all the time	Non-verbal and non-explicit communications matter, especially when it comes to communicating principles, values, and ways of thinking and working. Leading by example and transparency are key enablers of strategy adoption and fulfilment
Timing and frequency matter	Changes in strategy should be communicated when they can be adequately received and processed. Status of the ongoing initiatives, climate in the organization, external events, and other factors should be considered. Empathetic and thoughtful communication is more effective
There is no single method of communicating that works for everyone	Different stakeholders prefer different means of communication, from face-to-face meetings to using social networks and online publications
The message is in the medium	The method, channel, and format should be selected with careful consideration to the information’s sensitivity and information security risks, but wherever possible stakeholders’preferences should be taken into account

 

Go back to ITIL 4 Strategic Leader Certification Course: Practices to finish this chapter or to the main page ITIL 4 Strategic Leader Certification Course.