The strategy gap : leveraging technology to execute winning strategies

On a warm autumn day in 1962, a young chief executive stood before a large assembly and introduced a long-term, daring mission for his enterprise. It was both terrifying and inspiring. To many, successfully completing the mission seemed an impossible task. The executive acknowledged that there was much to do and much to learn before his vision could become a reality. In fact, he probably would no longer be at the helm when the mission was finally completed. He told his audience that taking the actions necessary to achieve the objectives of the mission would require courage?maybe even sacrifice. He knew that not everyone in the organization would understand and support the mission, but he also knew there would be plenty of people willing to help his plan take flight. He informed his listeners that the competition was well ahead in their quest to be the first to complete the mission. His organization could not afford to allow that to happen. To prevent it, the executive made it clear that top-level support would be given, and the appropriate monetary and other types of resources would be provided to support the planned strategies and tactics. There were many hurdles to overcome and milestones to reach along the road to realizing his vision, but the executive felt confident his people were up to the challenge. What was that mission? To lead all other nations in the race for space, with the objective of being the first nation to send a man safely to the moon and bring him home again before the end of the decade. Who was that executive? President John F. Kennedy of the United States of America. Much like Kennedy in the early 1960s, today?s CEOs and executives have missions, objectives, goals, strategies, tactics, and key performance indicators for their organizations. But sadly, many organizations fail to fulfill their mission. They create a strategic plan but fail to implement it successfully?if at all. While organizations understand where they are today and where they would like to be in the future, the road map on how to get there? the strategic plan?seems to remain just a dream. This chasm between the operational plan for today?s business and the grand vision for what our business needs to become is what this book calls the ?strategy gap.?