Business – Strategy and Execution

Many people believe that strategy somehow magically happens by itself. It doesn’t. Strategy is a process, and you need to put it into action every week. It has to be revisited constantly, or it’s dead. So what makes for a good strategy?

A good strategy starts with the goal you want to achieve. That’s not always an easy thing to do because people often want to make changes without knowing where they want them to end up. That’s why it’s important that your strategy be focused on the desired outcome, not on how you will get there. 

Once you know what your goal is, the next step is determining how best to reach that goal. This is where most strategies fall apart; instead of thinking of a plan and prioritizing activities, they just kind of wing it. If that sounds like you, then your strategy is weak and needs to be stretched.

The questions of what, how and when need to be answered. Several strategies can be used in combination to reach your goal; the trick is to find one that best fits the situation. It’s important to remember that the steps cannot be fixed, but the tactics should remain constant. For example, if we decide that a new social media campaign will help us reach our goal of increased sales figures, it doesn’t matter if we have a plan on how we will convert social media followers into actual customers. The plan should always be in the back of your mind, in case you need to make a change.

As with any strategy, it’s important to consider the objectives and perspectives of everyone involved in its creation. You need to consider what different roles are needed and how to get those roles done right. It’s also a good idea to consider how the strategy will change over time as you realize that sometimes you can’t reach your goal after all. That doesn’t mean that you have failed, just that your strategy needs an adjustment.

We’ve talked about why strategy is important and what makes for a good strategy, but what about the actual implementation? Planning is only half the battle. New strategies can fall apart if not executed correctly.

Like any change that’s difficult to achieve, it’s important to get everyone on board with your plan. One of the best ways to convince others is to have a few clear examples of why the strategy will help you reach your goal.

Wrap-up: Strategic Execution 

Strategy is a process and it works best when you do it consistently. There are so many different ways that you can implement your plans; it just depends on what makes sense at the time.

Now that you know what makes a good strategy, it’s up to you. Don’t let your good ideas fall apart by not implementing them correctly.

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Over the course of his career, Schlesinger has been interviewed by both local and national media outlets and has served on several high-profile boards. He is a member of the Advisory Board for Business at Babson College and was formerly an advisory board member for Merrimack College and Babson's Entrepreneurship Center for Excellence. In April 2011 Schlesinger was named to the Board of Trustees for The Boston College High School, which is ranked the top Catholic High School in America.

Schlesinger co-founded and is the former Chairman of The Boston College High School's Advisory Board for the Entrepreneurship Program. He is also a former board member of Merrimack College's Business Advisory Council and its Entrepreneurial Center for Excellence. In 2011, he was named to Babson College’s Advisory Board for Business.

Schlesinger was elected to two terms on the Boston City Council where he served as Chairman of the Economic Development Committee . On the Council, he helped oversee major developments including construction of Government Center, Boston’s new convention center and hotel complex, several colleges and universities including Suffolk University, Northeastern University and Wentworth Institute of Technology. He also worked with state officials in the Massachusetts legislature on legislation to permit the construction of Boston’s Fleet Center (currently named TD Bank North Garden) and construction of the Westin Hotel.

In 1996, Schlesinger was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he served three terms representing Boston's Back Bay and South End Districts. In the House, Schlesinger served as Chairman of both the Economic Development Committee and Joint Committee on Labor Relations. He was a member of the Joint Committee on Federal Relations, the Joint Committee on Economic Development, and the Joint Committee on Public Higher Education.

Schlesinger has spoken frequently to various groups throughout New England. In November 2008 he was a keynote speaker at the Boston Business Journal’s annual breakfast for MBAs and Executives in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. He spoke before various business associations and professional organizations including: The Business Council of New England, The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, The US Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts Bankers Association, Seaport Alliance Venture Capital Forum and more.

In 2008 Schlesinger was sworn in as one of seven members to the Massachusetts Council for Community Colleges & Universities.

Schlesinger is a former government relations representative for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. He has been a featured speaker at the National Restaurant Association Annual Trade Show in New Orleans, Louisiana and before numerous local restaurant associations throughout Massachusetts. In June 2005 he was recognized by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association as having served “exceptionally well” as their Government Relations Representative during his six year tenure with them.

Schlesinger is a partner in several real estate development partnerships including:

Schlesinger received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College, where he served on the Board of Trustees for three years, and completed graduate work at Boston College Law School and Northeastern University School of Business.

Schlesinger and his wife, Lori Hampton Schlesinger, live in Boston’s South End. They have two sons, Ben and Owen.

Schlesinger has kept busy since leaving the Mayor’s Office by serving on several boards. As Chairman of the Board of Directors for The Boston College High School, Schlesinger has lent his expertise in strategic planning and fundraising for the school’s Entrepreneurship Program as well as its Academic Foundation and Athletic Association. He also served two terms on the Advisory Board for Babson College's Entrepreneurship Center for Excellence, which encourages Babson students to take their ideas from conception to market.

Conclusion

Over the course of his career, Schlesinger has been interviewed by both local and national media outlets and has served on several high-profile boards. He is a member of the Advisory Board for Business at Babson College and was formerly an advisory board member for Merrimack College and Babson's Entrepreneurship Center for Excellence. In April 2011 Schlesinger was named to the Board of Trustees for The Boston College High School, which is ranked the top Catholic High School in America.

Schlesinger co-founded and is the former Chairman of The Boston College High School's Advisory Board for the Entrepreneurship Program.