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Strategy Execution Playbook

January 2024

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Overview

Book preview

Authors

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If you are currently working on a strategic initiative and don’t quite know what to do at this stage, this trusted companion provides you with a step by step guide for leading strategic initiatives by intertwining theoretical frameworks with practical tools.

It provides you with guidance on which tools to use when. Embedded throughout the book are execution and change management suggestions that will help you think through both growth and operational efficiency initiatives. In addition, we have included real world examples will bring the frameworks to life.

This Playbook is designed to be a trusted companion for sponsors, teams or leaders of strategic initiatives. It provides the necessary theoretical frameworks and practical tools to help guide teams in successfully implementing strategic initiatives (interchangeably referred to as “projects” in this Playbook).

The Playbook follows a methodological guideline for implementing both “exploratory initiatives” and “exploitative initiatives.” This is done in a step-by-step, modular way (explained in more detail in the ”Setting up for success” section). The Playbook’s structure broadly follows the phases of a strategic initiative’s execution – EXPLORE–DEVELOP–DO–EMBED

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Bettina Büchel

Professor of Strategy and Organization

Bettina Büchel is Professor of Strategy and Organization. She is an expert on strategy implementation, new business development, and change management. Her work is focused on leading strategic transformation programs and working closely with CEOs to build capabilities to deliver strategic priorities.

She says that many strategic initiatives fail to generate commitment and deliver value for businesses because leaders do not adequately address underlying barriers to change, such as gaps in the organization’s capacity to execute strategic changes. Her work is therefore devoted to helping companies increase the likelihood of successful implementation of strategic initiatives.

Mahwesh Khan

Mahwesh Khan has 20 years of experience working on governance and strategy issues with corporate boards and the C-suite. She has facilitated transformation journeys for companies and banks in the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and the United States. At IMD since 2019, Mahwesh has been supporting IMD Faculty in research, data analysis and diagnostics, as well as delivery of advisory projects across business domains. She has most recently coauthored and published articles in Harvard Business Review (March 2021) and Sloan Management Review (September 2020). Mahwesh has an MPhil in Management Studies from the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge (UK).

Catherine Agamis

Catherine Agamis has a strong business background with over 20 years of consulting experience, assisting in the transformation of large organizations. Catherine’s research interests are driven by a desire to contribute to the world’s challenges and the transition to a more sustainable future, with a focus on circular bioeconomy and natural services. At IMD, Catherine designs open and customized learning programs and coaches senior executives. She collaborates with IMD Faculty to help organizations solve their challenges through the cocreation of their change, growth and transformation agendas for positive impact.

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Summary

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