What is Strategic Intent?
Strategic Intent is a term utilized to express the leadership position a company takes to push the traditional strategic envelope to extend beyond current resources and capabilities…focusing on the VISION and what needs to take place to achieve it.
Strategic Intent involves taking an ambitious and compelling vision and communicating its merit through emotional and intellectual energy company wide, creating buy-in toward the future.
Traditional vs. Intentional
Current resources and capabilities to find a sustainable fit within a specific market niche have driven the traditional strategic mindset. The intentional strategic mindset is driven by filling a gap within the marketplace, leveraging resources to outpace competitors in creating advantages and opening up new opportunities.
This concept holds an important lesson for small businesses aiming to grow and succeed. Businesses seeking to capture market share by imitating the competition will soon find themselves chasing the rabbit down the hole. The competition does not remain still, they are constantly moving. Therefore, imitators end up constantly chasing their competitors, never getting ahead.
It’s All About Winning
To build a sustainable competitive advantage small and large companies alike need to re-evaluate their traditional strategic processes to include “intent.” The intent drives the process, creating new capabilities and resources to exploit future opportunities in an effort to position in front of the competition.
Strategic intent is focused more internally rather than where the company fits externally within the market. It’s all about adopting a “winning” mindset. Set the intent and go for it.
Recently I was listening to President Kennedy’s speech before the joint session of Congress in 1961 where he called for a space exploration program that would put Americans in space and on the moon by the end of the decade. When asked if this was possible, NASA stated that not for at least 20 years. Kennedy set the intention that we would accomplish his vision in less than 10 years.
Do you think that when the President of the United States stated that we would put Americans on the moon in less than 10 years that NASA balked and said “No Way?” Obviously, they found a way because we had our men on the moon in July of 1969.
Strategic Intent is the core element behind the motivation that drives a company forward. It answers the question “What exactly are we trying to accomplish?” However, the intent is not enough. There must be commitment and buy-in across the board. This shared “energy” is what propels the intent forward.
Implementing the Intention
Strategic intention involves setting the direction (long-term position), discovery (encouraging overall company buy-in) and destiny (realizing the emotional energy derived).
Once the intention is set the next step is to communicate company wide and finally to empower everyone by promoting free flow of information and opinions.
The bottom line is the management must involve all levels of the organization for strategic intention to take hold and progress. Ensuring a consistent vision up and down the line is essential. The intentional strategic mindset is holistic in nature and each individual contributes to the chain of actions that carry the energy forward. Once broken, the intent becomes jeopardized and clarity is lost.
DAVNA Enterprises specializes in building Intentional Strategic programs that are A.C.T.I.V.E. For more information or set up a FREE 1-hour consultation email info@davna.com. Also visit our educational training portal at www.epepsuccess.com.
DAVNA Enterprises, LLC is a Florida based firm specializing in the development and implementation of strategic operational, marketing and business development programs locally and internationally. Whether a new business starting out or an existing firm seeking increased market exposure, rebranding or repositioning, DAVNA brings more than 35 years of experience and the expertise needed to successfully develop and execute strategies designed to achieve your ultimate goals. For more information visit www.davna.com or email info@davna.com
