Not all companies take the time to close the gap between strategy and execution. Inherently, the gap is often caused by periods of significant change, akin to the environment of change today’s companies face.
Any number of factors causes the chasm to widen, typically:
- Insufficient performance monitoring and metrics
- Lack of accountability for the convergence of strategy to execution
- Lack of cohesion in the relationship of personal and business goals
- Significant strategies without sufficient staff to execute effectively
- Lack of effective communicating how these strategies impact the customer
- Shortage of trained personnel to manage the content and its dispersal to the marketplace
Being able to control the “tip of the spear” position in your chosen market segment or niche requires a minimal gap in all of the above stated facets, and by not eliminating these deficiencies; companies may never achieve their strategic and tactical goals. Execution will never exceed objectives, let alone meet them. Without third party participants to shore up the weak spots in the organization, you may become just another statistic in the list of firms that didn’t make the cut.
A Virtual Assistant can seal the gap by performing all of the social media marketing activities, from content marketing and social media “buzz” to a full array of traditional administrative duties such as inbound and outbound messaging, seamless connectivity from the virtual switchboard to your field personnel’s mobile device, document management and so much more. As an independent contract service, the labor burden is not a concern, as these services control their own payroll, and bill for hours or service blocks rather than punching a clock as an employee. With a clear set of responsibilities, pre-established metrics by which to judge performance and routine oversight, virtual assistants can relieve a great deal of stress on the existing team (or solo-preneur) and keep the gap between strategy and execution closed.
Virtual Assistants should be taken very seriously, as they function like an extension of the management team of an organization. Prior to hiring a virtual assistant organization, pay special attention to their online presence. Do they have an active web site that is easily navigated? Do they provide a list of current and former customer companies for reference checking? What separates one organization from their competition?
These and other questions should be thoroughly investigated prior to signing any contracts, and once you are ready, have you established how success will be measured?
This is a field that is growing, becoming a more valuable component of small business, and is worth a good look if you are struggling with the ever-widening strategy-execution gap.
Get More Done with a Virtual Assistant Today!
Article Tags:grow your business
July 21, 2011 at 10:43 am
Thanks for this article on the various factors that create gaps between strategy and execution. We can all do a better job in recognizing that strategy and execution are equally impacted by people, politics, process, and subject expertise and reconcile these issues upfront. I agree that independent perspective (virtual assistants if necessary) can help bridge this gap. In my experience kicking the can downfield is always more expensive and less effective!