Your leadership team is the thermostat for your company’s success. They set the temperature for your company and determine whether it succeeds or fails.
Your organization can have all the best intentions. But without team alignment, well-executed vision, and healthy leadership, you won’t be able to do more than simply check a box on a to-do list.
The midpoint of the year presents a valuable opportunity for leaders to evaluate what has and hasn’t worked over the past six months and pivot to create meaningful impact. In order to streamline your organization’s success, it is necessary to look at the strategy (i.e., the thinking) behind the accomplishments.
As you head into summer, it is the perfect opportunity to pause and audit your leadership team strategy to see what is helping and hindering your company’s success.
The Why: Auditing your leadership strategy creates a more aligned company.
According to a recent study by Gallup, only 47% of employees actually know what is expected of them at work. This is a huge problem—not just for your employees’ productivity, but for employee retention, company profits, and the overall success of your business.
Unclear expectations create a culture of misalignment within the company. When your organization isn’t aligned, that means your goals and strategy are not aligned either.
Auditing your 1) company goals, 2) key-performance indicators (KPIs), and 3) the deeper strategy that informs those goals ensures that every team member knows the why behind the what of their day-to-day. This company-wide alignment is vital to your organization’s health.
Benefits include:
- Employee satisfaction and retention
- Healthier workplace culture
- Increased profit margin
- Clarity around company goals
- Trust and transparency from the top down
- Improved company and employee efficiency
- Streamlined operational systems
- Decreased burnout rates due to less time being wasted
The What: Practical strategy audit questions that yield real results.
Too often, audits become merely an assessment of strengths and weaknesses, a cursory look at performance metrics, or a list of pros and cons. Effective strategy audits are not afraid to ask the hard questions. They dive into the thinking behind company goals—not just a series of buzzwords or models that don’t relate to your company’s vision.
A leadership strategy audit yields real results when it asks real questions. Strategy translates into results when it is clear, informed, and tangible.
Some practical questions which bring clarity to strategy:
- How is performance evaluated and communicated to employees and leaders? Employees don’t know what is expected of them when they don’t receive feedback. The midpoint of the year is an opportunity to take a look at how and when performance reviews are conducted, whether there is consistent feedback provided, and how well your leaders are communicating across departments. Your employees can’t do their job if they are not being poured into with consistent, constructive feedback.
- What is your company’s vision and how do your goals communicate that vision? Without a clear vision, your goals will not build anything meaningful. Your vision guides your goals, not the other way around.
- Are your leaders making a concerted effort to stay informed and knowledgeable about their industry? Informed leaders make informed decisions. Investing in your personal knowledge and industry training not only keeps you current—it reveals a willingness to look outside of yourself for wisdom, leadership advice, and ideas.
- Are your leaders able to make decisions without having all of the data on hand? Decision-making in a crisis or without all the ideal resources is a vital leadership quality. It’s not about taking unnecessary risks—it’s about being decisive and being able to follow your gut when needed.
- How do performance metrics reveal where company goals are failing and succeeding? Taking an honest look at your KPIs allows you to assess what is and isn’t working. Whether that means simply shifting your tactics or completely recreating your goals, being able to pivot prevents you from wasting time on strategies that aren’t working.
- Are deadlines consistently being met? Your mid-year audit is an excellent opportunity to look at pain points within your business. If deadlines are not consistently being met, it may be due to unrealistic expectations or a lack of clarity around responsibilities.
- Is your yearly plan something only referred to during an audit, or are you consistently revisiting it and taking steps towards goals? Reflection isn’t reserved only for audits. Being able to critically evaluate your goals, create an action plan, and change those plans when necessary reveals a flexibility, determination, and focus that will drive your organization forward.
The How: Solving issues and moving your organization forward.
Great leadership strategy audits don’t stop with questions. They seek to bring issues to light and solve those issues.
Whether your organization succeeds is determined by your willingness to adapt. Flexibility is core to good leadership. As a leader, you understand there is no room for pride. The ability to admit where strategy isn’t working and the humility to listen to others’ feedback shows great strength—and prevents your organization from repeating the same mistakes. That means being able to evaluate your goals, determine what is working, and change what is not.
Some important changes include:
- Streamlining communication so that employees and leaders are informed, aligned on goals, and united as a team.
- Setting up regular performance reviews … and not reserving feedback exclusively for review periods.
- Linking KPIs to key initiatives and regularly checking in on progress.
- Communicating goal progress to team members, as well as what is expected from them to continue moving forward.
- Evaluating current goals and restructuring them based on what isn’t working.
Real Leaders, Real Results
As you head into the summer, taking the time to evaluate your leadership strategy ensures that you are actually moving forward and creating real results.
Leaders drive those results. Whether you lead a small, mid-size, or large company, you are setting the tone for your company’s success. The ability to honestly and regularly assess your strategy is not only vital to accomplishing goals but also to setting your organization apart through its unique voice.
At Langley Leadership, we offer leadership and team development services that create a healthier team culture, cultivate essential leadership skills, and boost company performance. We understand that good leadership isn’t just ticking a box. It is about creating an environment where everyone sees and feels the impact of their work.
Make a free discovery call part of your mid-year strategy audit and start moving your organization forward this summer!
