The successful implementation of strategy depends on those who appreciate why the strategy is necessary, believe in it, and have the competencies and character to drive it forward.
These strategy champions succeed through five key attributes, first cited by WSJ author George Anders, that work together in practice – the human, culture-based elements that are often overlooked in strategic planning.
Willingness and curiosity form the foundation – willingness provides the enthusiasm, confidence, and initiative to challenge norms, while curiosity enables the gathering of perspectives, and the discovery of insights, which result in thoughtful adaptation. Instead of simply pushing through resistance to force change, effective champions ask “What can we learn from the resistance?” This combination of attributes creates the ability to take bold steps while remaining agile.
Credibility and expertise reinforce each other. Credibility provides the authenticity to influence and inspire, encouraging discussions about possibilities. Expertise earned through experience strengthens credibility, expediting change realization and decision-making. An effective strategy champion who says “Based on my experience, this might work” while remaining open to discussion, often gains more traction than one who declares “This is how it must be done.”
Finally, empathy acts as both foundation and capstone – essential at the start, but critical as implementation progresses and tensions arise. During strategy implementation, there will be challenging moments that provoke cynicism and compromise morale; successful strategy champions rely on empathy to resolve differences. Without empathy, the other four attributes can become counterproductive: willingness becomes stubbornness, expertise becomes arrogance. Empathy transforms these other attributes into organizational influence.
Which of these 5 attributes do you recognize in your strategy champions?