Alignment and collaboration (key elements in strategic performance management methodologies) are critical to ensuring better execution on cross-functional projects. When alignment is discussed, it’s in terms of how business units align around common objectives, either vertically by levels or horizontally aligning by support units like HR and IT. This is important, of course—and difficult. In fact, most companies rate this as the most challenging aspect of implementing a strategy management system (a.k.a strategy-focused organization).
However, alignment also happens around initiatives or goals. All that’s needed is a group of stakeholders focused on achieving one or more objectives, communicating with each other on a regular basis. It’s critical, though, that they have access to the necessary resources for developing assets and priortizing projects.
For example, closing a significant sales deal is a collaborative effort involving an ad-hoc team that is assembled throughout the opportunity and involves multiple departments: sales, sales consulting, references, product marketing, services, legal, and so on. The tool used to manage and track these activities is of course some form of CRM application. But what about other initiatives in other areas of organization that involve similar ad-hoc teams needed to complete a project and then disband? What tool is used to manage and track them? Don’t, for example, product development, mergers & acquisitions, and lines of business teams like IT and HR need an equivalent tool?
There isn’t a product category that makes it easier to determine what off-the-shelf solution to implement. This is because all we need is a better way of overseeing and managing projects while keeping focused on targeted performance improvements.
Solutions designed to address the management of performance improvement initiatives, linking objectives, KPIs, and initiatives as well as supporting alignment and collaboration between stakeholders, are readily adaptable to help companies better execute on a multitude of projects and use cases.
What software applications are you using to help execute ad-hoc projects? How is it working for you? Would you agree this is a way to go?
