Annual Strategic Planning and Deployment
Australian Drinks Group
What was the problem?
Our client is a leading Australian drinks group responsible for some of the most familiar and popular beer brands in Australia. Operating in a tough market, which was experiencing flat to declining volumes and a shift in power towards to the buyer, our client was reviewing growth options to allow it to compete effectively. The new leadership team was considering how to meet these challenges and wanted a robust, strategic vision behind which everyone in the organisation could be aligned.
What did you do?
We suggested a Strategy into Action (SIA) approach which was initially used with a small, senior-level ‘Strategic Committee’ to articulate the strategic context of the business and shape one and three year plans accordingly. We then went on to extend and embed SIA throughout the organisation, using communicable, one-page plans which clarify objectives and prioritise actions. These were developed and cascaded throughout the business, ensuring that alignment existed between all the business unit plans and setting out the specific initiatives that would drive goal achievement.
What happened?
For three years we have now been working with our client through annual SIA cycles reviewing, assessing and updating the strategy. We have designed and facilitated high impact events to inform and energise people while deepening understanding of the strategic direction and all of the activity undertaken has helped to create a unified business. By training, developing and coaching internal facilitators we have also transferred capability into the organisation itself ensuring long-term, sustainable competence in strategy deployment and execution.
What was the outcome?
SIA has given our client strategic clarity, focus and drive from the executive team through to individual employees. Both the business plans and the people implementing them are aligned, having a clear vision of where the organisation is going and how to get there.
The highly participative processes employed by Quest have resulted in wide-spread buy-in, particularly by key leaders, and has helped to galvanise and build the team. The true extent of what this approach has enabled the client to achieve is evident in the fact that EBIT has been exceeded each year.