Posts by Doug Maris
How to Assess and Elevate Your Organization’s Strategic Maturity
How mature is your organizationâs strategy management system? In an era marked by volatility, uncertainty, and rapid disruption, many organizations invest heavily in strategic planning without taking the time to understand their true strategic maturity. The result? Plans that look strong on paper but lack the organizational capabilities, rhythms, and discipline required to execute effectively.…
Read MoreThe Business Case for Strategy Certification
In todayâs fast-moving and uncertain environment, organizations need more than good intentions and well-worded plans. They need resilient systems that connect vision to execution, building organizational resilience, managing risk, and aligning people and resources around a clear strategic direction. At LBL Strategies, weâve seen firsthand how transformative it can be when professionals earn strategy certification…
Read MoreCreating Strategic Objectives That Actually Drive Performance
Are your strategic objectives just words on paper, or intentional outcomes of organizational performance? In many organizations, strategic objectives sound aspirational but are too vague, and lack whatâs needed to influence daily decisions. The challenge is not simply to write strategic objectives but to craft ones that truly align with your organizationâs strategic direction, anchored…
Read More5 Ways to Align Your Team Around a Shared Strategic Vision
On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy stood in front of a joint session of Congress and declared: âI believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.â The original moonshot vision statement…
Read MoreThe Crucial Role of Core Values in Organizational Strategy
In the fast-paced world, where strategies are formulated and executed with lightning speed, one foundational element often gets overlookedâthe core values of an organization. In the arena of strategy consulting, it is not uncommon for the client to request âskippingâ core values so the planning team can focus on more shiny and exciting elements of…
Read MoreMy Front Row Seat to Conscious Capitalism
Reading about âConscious Capitalismâ is rather common. Experiencing it firsthand is something totally different. I was invited to a front-row seat to experience one organizationâs commitment to creating sustainable value for all stakeholders, especially the planet. LBL Strategiesâ client Clarke (clarke.com) is committed to âmaking communities around the world more livable, safe, and comfortableâ by…
Read MoreOKRs vs. KPIs
As strategy management trainers and consultants, we frequently hear the question: âWhat is the difference between KPIs and OKRs?â Or, just as frequently, âWhich is better: KPIs or OKRs?â As we learned in Strategy Consulting 101, our response is often âIt depends!â Which is âbetterâ between OKRs and KPIs depends on your organizational complexities, overall…
Read MoreSlouching Toward Failure: 5 Reasons Organizations Lose Sight of Their Core Values
In working with clients on developing âStrategic Thinkingâ skills within an organization, there is a lot of attention on ensuring that every employee within the organization has âline of sightâ from their respective role to the high-level mission and vision of the organization. The need for this connection is obvious . . . as most…
Read MoreWhatâs the Difference between Strategic Thinking and Strategic Planning?
Recently a client asked a very simple, and yet extremely complex, question: âWhatâs the difference between âstrategic thinkingâ and âstrategic planningâ?â Great question! A quick Google search reveals that academics have pondered and debated this question since the early 1990âs. One extremely helpful scholarly overview can be found in the June 1998 volume 31 of…
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