moving beyond help: transforming yourself into writing corporate strategy

Moving Beyond Help: Moving Beyond Help: Transforming Yourself into Transforming Yourself into Writing Corporate StrategyWriting Corporate Strategy

Philadelphia Metro Chapter- STCPhiladelphia Metro Chapter- STC5th Annual Conference5th Annual Conference

March 17, 2007March 17, 2007Penn State/Great ValleyPenn State/Great Valley

Donn R. DeBoardDonn R. DeBoard

Donn DeBoard March 17, 2007 Donn DeBoard March 17, 2007 Moving Beyond Help - Transforming Yourself into Writing Corporate StrategyMoving Beyond Help - Transforming Yourself into Writing Corporate Strategy 22

About the PresenterAbout the Presenter 21 years in information development in a 21 years in information development in a

variety of media (paper, online help, CBT)variety of media (paper, online help, CBT) M.S., Technical and Science M.S., Technical and Science

Communications, Communications, Drexel University/Philadelphia, PADrexel University/Philadelphia, PA

M. Ed., Instructional Systems, M. Ed., Instructional Systems, Penn State University/Great Valley, PAPenn State University/Great Valley, PA

Senior Information Developer,Senior Information Developer,Vertex, Inc./Berwyn, PAVertex, Inc./Berwyn, PA

Senior PMC member (since 1986)Senior PMC member (since 1986)


About my familyAbout my family My family:My family: SueSue Sarah, Sarah,

age 12 ¾age 12 ¾ FrannyFranny


What About You?What About You? Share a little about Share a little about

yourself.yourself. Share your reasons Share your reasons

for coming to this for coming to this conference? Any conference? Any first-time first-time attendees?attendees?

Share your Share your expectations for expectations for this session.this session.


AgendaAgenda What is Strategy?What is Strategy? Types of strategy Types of strategy

documentsdocuments Mapping your Mapping your

current skills to current skills to strategy writingstrategy writing

Unique issues in Unique issues in strategy writingstrategy writing

Strategy, people Strategy, people and changeand change

What’s your story?What’s your story? Key questions for Key questions for

youyou Think strategicallyThink strategically


Strategy in ChessStrategy in Chess Strategy is a plan Strategy is a plan

and is generally and is generally long term.long term.

Focus of all efforts: Focus of all efforts: capture or capture or checkmate the checkmate the other player’s king.other player’s king.


Tactics in ChessTactics in Chess Tactics are more Tactics are more

situational with short situational with short term, specific threats. term, specific threats.

Open, middle, and end Open, middle, and end game: Each has game: Each has specific steps and specific steps and purpose.purpose.

Focus of all efforts: Focus of all efforts: increase situational increase situational advantage at each advantage at each stage of game. stage of game.

Checkmate king: Checkmate king: Fulfilling goal of Fulfilling goal of strategy.strategy.


Corporate strategy: future focusedCorporate strategy: future focused A compass to guide all A compass to guide all

activitiesactivities How an organization:How an organization: Contributes to greater Contributes to greater

good of local good of local community and the community and the world world

Views itself for Views itself for posterityposterity

Measures successMeasures success


““Practical Dreaming”Practical Dreaming”• Creating an ideal Creating an ideal

future that adds value future that adds value to world through high to world through high payoff results (Roger payoff results (Roger Kaufman, p. 41.)Kaufman, p. 41.)

• Strategic themes: Strategic themes: “Best possible ABC “Best possible ABC company” with core company” with core activities (Porter, p. activities (Porter, p. 2.)2.)

• Separate Results from Separate Results from MeansMeans


Who makes strategy decisions?Who makes strategy decisions? No strategic No strategic

planning process – planning process – (50+%) CEO leads (50+%) CEO leads upper-upper-management.management.

Strategic planning Strategic planning process (39%) - process (39%) - CEO alone leads.CEO alone leads.

CEOs (66%) CEOs (66%) indiate that indiate that leaders in strategy leaders in strategy reside in chief reside in chief strategy officer or strategy officer or strategy group. strategy group.

No consensus.No consensus. (The McKinsey (The McKinsey

QuarterlyQuarterly survey - survey - July and August 2006)July and August 2006)


Strategy Overview:Strategy Overview:Top Down ProgressionTop Down Progression

Vision (Ideal view Vision (Ideal view of organization/ of organization/ world)world)

Organization’s Organization’s mission or purposemission or purpose

Strategic Strategic objectives for objectives for realizing visionrealizing vision

Tactical objectives Tactical objectives realizing missionrealizing mission


Strategy Overview:Strategy Overview:Top Down Progression (continued)Top Down Progression (continued)

Operational objectives Operational objectives for internal clients for internal clients (process and (process and procedures) procedures)

Needs assessment to Needs assessment to identify gaps between identify gaps between Ideal, Organizational, Ideal, Organizational, and Operational levels and Operational levels

Tactics or solutions for Tactics or solutions for delivering internal and delivering internal and external resultsexternal results

(Kaufman pp. 41, 42)(Kaufman pp. 41, 42)


Different Types of Different Types of Strategy DocumentsStrategy Documents

Vision documentVision document Ideal (Societal view- Ideal (Societal view-

new world to be new world to be created)created)

Engage a broad base Engage a broad base of diverse of diverse stakeholdersstakeholders

““Blue sky” thinkingBlue sky” thinking Describes ends, not Describes ends, not

means. means. What your company What your company

wants to bewants to be


Vision and Mission Vision and Mission Statements of Westin HotelsStatements of Westin Hotels

VisionVision Year after year, Year after year,

Westin and its Westin and its people will be people will be regarded as the regarded as the best and most best and most sought after hotel sought after hotel and resort and resort management group management group in North America. in North America.

MissionMission Our Mission must Our Mission must

be to exceed the be to exceed the expectations of our expectations of our customers, whom customers, whom we define as we define as guests, partners, guests, partners, and fellow and fellow employees. employees.


Vision and MissionVision and MissionStatements of VertexStatements of Vertex

VisionVision Together we aspire to Together we aspire to

become a global become a global organization that organization that invents the future and invents the future and makes a truly makes a truly meaningful difference meaningful difference in the world. Our in the world. Our Vision is to become Vision is to become the kind of company the kind of company others only dream of. others only dream of.

MissionMission To enable the To enable the

emergence of a global emergence of a global tax network and tax network and improve the improve the performance of tax performance of tax administration administration processes for the processes for the benefit of our benefit of our customers and customers and worldwide enterprise.worldwide enterprise.


Different Types of Different Types of Strategy Documents (continued) Strategy Documents (continued)

Strategy documentStrategy document Organizational view Organizational view

(outputs delivered to (outputs delivered to external customers)external customers)

More concrete, but More concrete, but still high levelstill high level

How your company How your company intends to realize intends to realize visionvision


Sample Strategy StatementsSample Strategy Statements General ElectricGeneral Electric To become the To become the

most competitive most competitive enterprise in the enterprise in the world by being world by being number one or number one or number two in number two in market share in market share in every business the every business the company is in.company is in.

Apple ComputerApple Computer To offer the best To offer the best

possible personal possible personal computing computing technology and to technology and to put that technology put that technology in the hands of as in the hands of as many people as many people as possible.possible.


Different Types of Different Types of Strategy Documents (continued)Strategy Documents (continued)

Implementation Implementation plan/roadmapplan/roadmap

Operational view Operational view (products delivered to (products delivered to internal customers – internal customers – teams or individuals)teams or individuals)

Engage all Engage all stakeholders for stakeholders for implementationimplementation

How your company How your company implements strategyimplements strategy

Very granularVery granular


Mapping your current skill setsMapping your current skill sets to strategy writing to strategy writing

Audience analysisAudience analysis ResearchResearch Purpose and Purpose and

languagelanguage Intellectual Intellectual

curiositycuriosity


Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis Current focus:Current focus: External technical External technical

peoplepeople Internal technical Internal technical

people people Sales peopleSales people

Focus in Strategy:Focus in Strategy: Internal marketing Internal marketing

analystsanalysts Enterprise process Enterprise process

analystsanalysts Project management Project management

analystsanalysts Upper management or Upper management or

CXO level staff (Drive CXO level staff (Drive decision-making)decision-making)

Board level people Board level people


ResearchResearch Current focus:Current focus: Technology Technology

requirementsrequirements Process Process

requirements @ requirements @ product or system product or system levellevel

System HW/SW System HW/SW requirements requirements

Focus in Strategy:Focus in Strategy: Competitive Competitive

advantageadvantage Business modelsBusiness models Workflow/process Workflow/process

requirements @ requirements @ Enterprise levelEnterprise level

Culture within Culture within organization organization


Purpose and languagePurpose and language Current focus:Current focus: To inform, instruct or To inform, instruct or

educateeducate Simple/concise textSimple/concise text ““Just the facts”Just the facts” Judging (good vs. bad, Judging (good vs. bad,

preferred vs. not)preferred vs. not) Sequential flow in Sequential flow in

day-to-day processesday-to-day processes

Focus in Strategy:Focus in Strategy: To persuade or win To persuade or win

allegiance to an idea allegiance to an idea by painting a vivid by painting a vivid picturepicture

Tell a storyTell a story Softer w/more jargonSofter w/more jargon More sensing More sensing Creates a overarching Creates a overarching

framework – big framework – big picturepicture


Comparing Technical Comparing Technical to Strategic Writingto Strategic Writing

TechnicalTechnical The Super ABC product The Super ABC product

from XYZ Company from XYZ Company generates clean energy generates clean energy using a new wind-based using a new wind-based R1000 micro-technology R1000 micro-technology scheme.scheme.

This scheme provides a This scheme provides a cost-effective transition cost-effective transition process to renewable process to renewable energy sources.energy sources.

How to implement the How to implement the Super ABC product.Super ABC product.

StrategicStrategic XYZ company will be the XYZ company will be the

leader in renewable energy leader in renewable energy in the local and worldwide in the local and worldwide community (Vision).community (Vision).

New services can expand New services can expand our support of existing and our support of existing and new green products.new green products.

Our focus for customers Our focus for customers shifts from energy shifts from energy depleting to renewable depleting to renewable energy products.energy products.


Intellectual curiosityIntellectual curiosity Current focus:Current focus: Learn quicklyLearn quickly Adapt quickly to Adapt quickly to

changechange A new or better A new or better

software tool or software tool or revised processrevised process

Generally has more Generally has more tactical applicationstactical applications

Focus in Strategy:Focus in Strategy: To be passionate To be passionate

about what the next about what the next big trend is. big trend is.

Why trend is Why trend is importantimportant

How to master itHow to master it Continuous Continuous

improvementimprovement (ITSMA E-Zine (ITSMA E-Zine

December, 2006, December, 2006, page 2.)page 2.)


Unique issues in strategy writingUnique issues in strategy writing Capturing the spirit of Capturing the spirit of

abstract concepts in abstract concepts in concrete terms – very concrete terms – very briefly.briefly.

Document analysis Document analysis and development time and development time for strategy team for strategy team members is short.members is short.

May involve only one-May involve only one-to-one discussionsto-one discussions

More relaxed editorial More relaxed editorial issues (No standards issues (No standards per se).per se).


SummarySummary Clear, focused Clear, focused

writingwriting ConsistencyConsistency ClarityClarity Visual formatting Visual formatting

for clarity (e.g. for clarity (e.g. headings, bullets)headings, bullets)

Logical, organized Logical, organized flow of informationflow of information


Strategy, people, and changeStrategy, people, and change Appreciative inquiry – Appreciative inquiry –

Enterprise wideEnterprise wide Seeing positive potential Seeing positive potential

and seeking to understandand seeking to understand When used with strategic When used with strategic

planning process, planning process, appreciative inquiry helps appreciative inquiry helps a company find its success a company find its success stories.stories.

Discovery (collecting Discovery (collecting stories)stories)

Visioning (Sharing stories)Visioning (Sharing stories) Design (Identifying story Design (Identifying story

themes) (Corning.)themes) (Corning.)


Strategy, people, and changeStrategy, people, and change Appreciative inquiry – Appreciative inquiry –

Individual 1-to-1Individual 1-to-1 Valuing personal Valuing personal

connectionsconnections Connecting with people Connecting with people

1-to-11-to-1 Enable positive changeEnable positive change Valuing participantsValuing participants ““What works best?”What works best?” ““What do we want more What do we want more

of ?”of ?” Reducing differencesReducing differences Reducing anxiety (Fauvre.)Reducing anxiety (Fauvre.)


What’s Your Story?What’s Your Story? Group introductions Group introductions Name, company, and Name, company, and

rolerole Briefly describe any Briefly describe any

job where you worked job where you worked on strategy-related on strategy-related projectsprojects

Other pertinent detailsOther pertinent details


Key Questions for youKey Questions for you What is your What is your

company’s company’s strategy?strategy?

Who develops it?Who develops it? How do you relate How do you relate

to those people?to those people? Compare skill sets:Compare skill sets: Common skillsCommon skills Complementary Complementary

skillsskills


Think strategicallyThink strategically Offshoring – 1 in 9 of Offshoring – 1 in 9 of

all US jobs could be all US jobs could be outsourced outsourced (Kroll and Bardhan, (Kroll and Bardhan, UC Berkley, 2003. UC Berkley, 2003. Murphy, Murphy, IntercomIntercom p. 4.)p. 4.)

Be a strategic Be a strategic collaborator.collaborator.

Articulate value.Articulate value. Keep skills current. Keep skills current.

(Murphy, (Murphy, IntercomIntercom, , p, 5.)p, 5.)


New Voice of BusinessNew Voice of Business New organization for New organization for

business people to business people to make a proactive, make a proactive, positive difference in positive difference in core issues of our timecore issues of our time

EnergyEnergy EconomyEconomy Emerging Role of Emerging Role of

BusinessBusiness www.newvoiceofbusiness.orgwww.newvoiceofbusiness.org


Questions and Comments?Questions and Comments? I hope you have I hope you have

found this session found this session useful.useful.

Thanks for your Thanks for your participation in the participation in the session.session.

Questions or Questions or Comments?Comments?


If You Want If You Want to Contact Meto Contact Me

You are welcome You are welcome to contact me with to contact me with questions and questions and comments.comments.

[email protected]@vertexinc.comvertexinc.com


For More InformationFor More Information Corning, Susan. “Strategic Storytelling Corning, Susan. “Strategic Storytelling

with Appreciative Inquiry,” with Appreciative Inquiry,” http://www.kaiser.net/articledetail.cfm?http://www.kaiser.net/articledetail.cfm?article_ID=56article_ID=56..

Engardio, Peter, and Kerry Capell, John Engardio, Peter, and Kerry Capell, John Carey, and Kenji Hall. “Beyond the Green Carey, and Kenji Hall. “Beyond the Green Corporation,” Corporation,” Business WeekBusiness Week. January 29, . January 29, 2007. 2007. http: //www.businessweek.com/ http: //www.businessweek.com/ magazine/content/07_05/b4019001.htm?magazine/content/07_05/b4019001.htm?chan=searchchan=search..


For More InformationFor More Information Fauvre, Marvin. “Problem Solving Fauvre, Marvin. “Problem Solving

Was Never This Easy Was Never This Easy (Transformational Change Through (Transformational Change Through Appreciative Inquiry)” Appreciative Inquiry)” Performance Performance Improvement QuarterlyImprovement Quarterly, Volume 45, , Volume 45, Number 9, October 2006, pp. 22-30.Number 9, October 2006, pp. 22-30.


For More InformationFor More Information Harmon. Paul. “How CEOs Think.” Harmon. Paul. “How CEOs Think.”

BPTrendsBPTrends, December 12, 2006. , December 12, 2006. Vol. 4, Number 21.Vol. 4, Number 21.

IT Services Marketing Association IT Services Marketing Association (ITSMA) E-Zine, “Marketing’s New (ITSMA) E-Zine, “Marketing’s New Mindset: an Interview with Mindset: an Interview with Foghound’s Lois Kelly.” December, Foghound’s Lois Kelly.” December, 2006.2006.


For More InformationFor More Information Kaufman, Roger. Kaufman, Roger. MegaPlanning: Practical MegaPlanning: Practical

Tools for Organizational Success, Tools for Organizational Success, Sage Sage Publishers. “Critical Success Factors for Publishers. “Critical Success Factors for Strategic Thinking that Works,” January 8, Strategic Thinking that Works,” January 8, 2003. h2003. http:// ttp:// media.wiley.com /product_data /excerpt/ media.wiley.com /product_data /excerpt/ 30/07879650/ 0787965030.pdf.30/07879650/ 0787965030.pdf.

Lantz, Gerry. Stories that Work. Strategic Lantz, Gerry. Stories that Work. Strategic Storytelling. Storytelling. http:// www.storiesthatwork.com/videohttp:// www.storiesthatwork.com/video/strategic.html./strategic.html.

http://www.storiesthatwork.com/video


For More InformationFor More Information Murphy, Michelle. “Protecting Murphy, Michelle. “Protecting

Yourself from Offshoring.” Yourself from Offshoring.” IntercomIntercom, Vol. 54, No. 2, February , Vol. 54, No. 2, February 2007, pp. 4-7.2007, pp. 4-7.

New Voice of Business, New Voice of Business, http://www.newvoiceofbusiness.orghttp://www.newvoiceofbusiness.org..

moving beyond help: transforming yourself into writing corporate strategy

Business

donn deboard

online help

chess strategy

information development

checkmate king

pa senior pmc member

strategic themes

chess tactics