A road trip approach to understanding strategy

This article captures how the steps involved in undergoing a road trip or any
other trip for that matter could be compared to implementing a strategy
process in an organization. The steps below succinctly highlight the
similarities.

Mission:
Before you embark on a road trip, you must have a reason/purpose for
wanting to take the trip. In the same vein, the mission of any organization is
the core purpose for which it exists. For example, the mission of Google “is
to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and
useful”.

Vision:

Once you know the purpose for wanting to take a trip, the next step is to
determine your destination. Likewise, any organization must have a future
outlook or where it is headed. For example, McDonald’s vision is to
“dominate the global food-service industry”.

Strategic Option:
Now that you have determined your destination, the next step is to choose a
route to get you to your destination. The decision to select a route is usually
based on unpredictable factors such as weather or road conditions that may
necessitate a change in route. The strategic option an organization chooses is
the route that will get them to their destination and that decision is usually
based on the environmental scan of unpredictable emerging global issues
and trends, which makes the selection process dynamic. For example, a
bank may explore various strategic options for fostering growth that could
range from national/regional/hybrid acquisitions to organic growth based on
emerging PESTLE trends.

Strategic Objectives / Long Term Goals:

Once you have selected your route, the next step is to use a road map to
guide you through the selected route to your destination. In strategy

Kayode Oladele
parlance, a road map can be equated to setting strategic objectives or long-
term goals. An organization for example may decide to set the following
long-terms goals: enhance operational excellence, deliver new customer
experience, effect crew change and raise long-term capital. Long terms goals
(aka strategic plan) are usually in the 3-5 year time range.

Initiatives / Short Term Goals:

At this point, you know why you are embarking on the road trip (your
mission); you have a clearly defined destination (your vision); you have
selected your route (your strategic option); and you have a road map to guide
you to your destination (your long-term goals). The last step is to get a
vehicle that will get you to your destination. In strategy speak, that vehicle is
called initiatives or short- term goals. An organization may set the following
initiatives: issue bonds to raise long-term capital, re-architect distribution
channels to deliver new customer experience, deploy collaborative forum
and system to enhance operational excellence, and resource critical position
to effect crew change requirement. Short-term goals (aka operating plan) are
usually in the 1-year time range.

Closing Remarks:

I hope I was successful in creating a picture that spotlights the striking

similarities between going on a road trip and developing a strategy process.
Bottom up; a high performance organization must align its initiatives with
its strategic objectives, which must be aligned with its vision, which in turn
must be aligned with its mission.

It’s a common knowledge that careful planning and execution will get you to
your destination on a road trip. In the strategy world too, a vision realized is
a combination of strategic planning and disciplined execution.

Kayode Oladele