The Importance Of Strategy Implementation

One of the key drivers of effective strategy implementation is leadership, and specifically strategic leadership. At the same time, lack of leadership, and specifically strategic leadership by the top management of the organization, has been identified as one of the major barriers to effective strategy implementation (Beer and Eisenstat, 2000). A leader is defined as “someone who guides and inspires the learning process throughout the organization in order to create and motivate the thoughts and actions required to implement the key strategies of the organization based on the overall strategic mission and vision” (Gillen, 2000). In order to implement a strategy in a turbulent world, the implementation must be led and a major part of this leading involves inspiring

It seems that while the strategy formulation in itself is good enough, the bank lacks (or lacked) the processes in implementation the strategies effective. It seems clear that the most successful implementing organizations must be fairly fluid in their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions and new strategies. This fluidity is manifest in their ability to adjust strategic consensus, leadership style, and communication and interaction processes to better meet new strategic realities (Noble, 1999). Danske Bank was in need of someone who could lead and manage the implementation of the strategy. According to Beer and Eisenstat (2000) new managers are not directly implicated in the problems of the old regime and find it easier to surface hidden issues. “When attempts to bypass the silent killers fail, the likelihood that the CEO or general manager will be replaced increases. Managerial replacement can be an effective process for addressing the silent killers” (Beer and Eisenstat, 2000). Arguably, this might have been the case with Mr. Kolding and Mr.