Building meaningful strategies that deliver results

Making strategy a tool for agility and relevance

A strategic plan should illuminate decisions, engage teams and guide action. To be effective, it must answer three key questions:

• Why do we exist?
• Where do we want to go?
• How will we get there?

The clarity of the why sets the direction. The honesty of the where defines the effort required. And the rigor of the how turns intent into results.

Four-step planning to turn vision into action

The process of developing a strategic plan is clear and iterative:

1. Define the future state

Every strategy begins with a concrete vision, a projection of what the organization wants to become.

It starts by asking fundamental questions:

• What will be our place in tomorrow’s value chain?
• What kind of environmental, technological and human footprint do we want to leave?
• How must our expertise evolve to remain relevant?

At this stage, the goal is to imagine an ambitious yet achievable future — and to define its contours clearly.

2. Diagnose the current state

A sound strategy requires an honest understanding of where you currently stand. That means examining strengths, weaknesses and blind spots without complacency:

• Do we have the right skills and tools to execute our vision?
• Do our internal processes support or hinder our ambition?
• Does our organizational culture encourage innovation?

“By clearly naming reality, we create the conditions for lasting change. To do so, we ask our clients to be brutally honest about their current situation,” explains Susan Eick , Vice President, Strategic Advisory.

3. Leverage existing strengths

Every organization holds unique levers: technical know-how, a strong culture, valuable data, trusted partnerships, and more. A good strategy identifies these assets and puts them to work for the desired future.

Ask yourself:

• What are our recent successes that can serve as models for the future?
• Which capabilities can we amplify?
• Which differentiators could become our strategic advantages?

4. Move from plan to action, with clear accountability

Execution means prioritizing initiatives, clarifying accountabilities and readjusting regularly.

• How will we measure our progress in concrete terms?
• Do our resource allocations match our strategic priorities?
• Are our priorities clearly understood and shared across all levels?

A living strategy adapts to its context and stays relevant through frequent reassessment cycles.

Human alignment, the engine of a sustainable strategy

A strategy delivers results only when it’s carried collectively. Alignment grows from mutual trust, transparency and open dialogue among your people. These conditions enable everyone to contribute fully, express ideas and engage in execution.

A strong strategy isn’t just about doing incrementally better, it’s about doing better differently. It redefines how value is created, how teams collaborate and how operations impact the organization’s many stakeholders.

“A meaningful strategy inspires action and unites people around a shared vision. By staying brutally honest about our strengths and challenges, we turn ambition into tangible, meaningful results,” concludes Susan Eick.

The best strategies aren’t read, they’re lived. And it all begins with how they’re built.