Posts by Randall Rollinson/President, LBL Strategies

Over the past forty years, we’ve had a ringside seat observing strategy teams across government, nonprofits, tribal nations, and business. As the field of strategy has matured in both theory and practice, a recognized pattern keeps showing up: High-performing teams treat strategy management as an integrated system of behaviors. These seven strategic-management behaviors build alignment,…

Today’s leaders face a perfect storm of complexity including multi-layered organizations, limited resources, shifting priorities, and volatile environments that can change overnight. For many government agencies and large enterprises, leadership turnover, potential disruptions such as government shutdowns, and uncertainty surrounding budgets or directives from agencies like the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE) make it increasingly…

I still remember the first time I led a “strategic planning process.”  It was 1978, and I was a new executive director of a small Chicago nonprofit serving people with disabilities. My goal was simple but daunting: earn accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Agencies, which required a board-approved Comprehensive Long-Range Plan. I…

In today’s disrupted and fast-moving world, organizations of all kinds and sizes cannot rely solely on agile instincts and tactical thinking. The real differentiator is the capacity of leadership at all levels of the organization to think strategically, act decisively, and adapt continuously. Leadership training, when intentionally aligned with strategy, becomes the critical bridge between…

In today’s rapidly shifting organizational environment, competitive analysis is more than a diagnostic tool; it’s a foundational deliverable for effective strategy consulting. Whether a client is seeking sharper market positioning, stronger strategic execution, or a clearer link between vision and mission, competitive analysis provides important insights needed to design and deliver a winning organizational strategy.…

Force Field Analysis (FFA) is a straightforward, decision-making and change management tool developed to identify and analyze the forces that drive and oppose change within an organization. By mapping out “driving forces” that support achievement of an agreed upon goal and “restraining forces” that oppose it, strategy professionals and their team(s) are able to visualize…

Strategy Execution: Beyond the Plan Defining an organizational strategy and writing a strategic plan are the easy parts. Analyzing the environment, exploring scenarios, crafting the vision, and setting strategic goals and objectives are critical tasks, but they are only the beginning. The true test of leadership comes in execution when strategy must move off the…

Why Thinking and Planning Must Work Together Several years ago, my business partner, Doug Maris, wrote a blog post entitled “What’s the Difference Between Strategic Thinking and Strategic Planning?”. In it, he highlights the distinction between the two while underscoring their symbiotic relationship. As Doug observes, “The two not only work together, but they require…

To be effective at performance management, stakeholder engagement and strategic governance must be a continuous and integrated process. Stakeholder Engagement – “To do all that is necessary to get the various stakeholder groups, particularly employees, to commit themselves to make the new strategy work.” [1] Strategic Governance – The role of the Board of Directors…