Six (6) Silent Killers [Barriers] of Strategy Implementation and Learning

Silent Killer Core Capability

1. The general manager advocates direction but learns from the feedback of those down the line.
Top-down or laissez- A leadership style that
faire senior embraces the paradox of
management style top-down direction and
upward influence.
(Engaged Leadership)
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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2. The top team formulates the strategy as a group and spends significant amount of time discussing it with lower levels.
Unclear strategy and Clear strategy, clear
conflicting priorities priorities.
(Clear and Compelling
Business Direction)
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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3. Through constructive conflict, the team arrives at a common voice and creates and maintains the organizational context
needed to implement the strategy.
An ineffective senior An effective top team,
management team whose members possess
general-management
orientation
(Effective Senior
Management Team)
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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 Silent Killer Core Capability
4. The team and lower levels are engaged in an open dialogue about the organization’s effectiveness.
Poor vertical Open vertical
communication communication
(Open Fact-based
Dialogue)
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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5. Effective teamwork integrates activities around customers, products, or markets across diverse functions, localities, and
businesses.
Poor coordination across Effective coordination
functions, businesses or (Realigning Roles,
borders Responsibilities, and
Accountabilities with
Strategy)
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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6. Mid-level managers with the potential to develop leadership skills and a general-management perspective are given
clear accountability and authority.
Inadequate down-the- Down-the-line leadership
line leadership skills and (Strong Leadership with
development a General-Management
Perspective)
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
1 2 3 4 5 6
Four (4) Key Success Factors [Realizers] in Implementing Strategic Decisions
7. Influence patterns favor implementation. Is there continuing support from those who authorize what goes on as well as
from those required to implement the changes?
Low degree of High degree of
Backing Backing
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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8. Success of implementation can be evaluated with precision. Do managers know what the new systems had to do and
what a fully developed and integrated system should offer?
Low degree of High degree of
Assessability Assessability
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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9. Precise details of implementation tasks and activities were decided beforehand. Do individuals know how success would
be gauged and what has to be done to achieve progress?
Low degree of High degree of
Specificity Specificity
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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10. Organizational culture is conducive to the process of implementation. Do management teams provide and foster a
facilitative climate of acceptance for change and risk?
Low degree of High degree of
Cultural Receptivity Cultural Receptivity
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree
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