One of our clients, a Fortune 500 worldwide energy corporation, was seeking to strengthen the internal operations of a division company.  Top management needed more effective implementation of the company's strategic plan.  The company had held strategy and planning meetings in the past, but follow-through was poorly coordinated, interdepartmental conflicts flared, competition for scarce resources heightened, and the company floundered when attempting to turn strategy into action.

We worked with top management to design a new process for implementing strategy based on three key elements:

• Building company-wide awareness of each department's critical contribution to the success of the strategic plan
• Gaining the commitment of departments and individuals to full involvement in the implementation process 
• Establishing accountabilities for success

The company's president had this to say about the outcome:

"Wow! This is powerful and positive . . . we must continue the effort!"

Other employees also offered comments about the results of the process and our creative, innovative approach:

"Now I can relate to other departments' goals and objectives.  I know what I need to do to assist them in accomplishing our plan."

"I knew the production goals, but I didn't know the different departments' goals.  This thing can work now!"

"I feel that interdepartmental communications have really improved.  You get a sense of being part of a whole company, instead of just a department."

"I see now that no group can be successful without help from other departments."

"Everyone realizes now that we all play important roles in this company, we need each other."

"No group can be successful without help from other departments."

"I realize better how all departments have similar goals and everyone must contribute."

"I understand our roles better and the impact our support has on others meeting their goals."

"The most interesting part was evaluating how we would help other departments meet their goals.  Makes you think."

"More meetings like this will bring more commitment from the company."

"This is a giant step toward closing the gap between departments, let's keep trying."

"This is new and will not only help me do my job better, but also will allow me to help others be successful."