Ever wondered how you can improve your strategy execution to achieve the gold medal level? Project management and change management basics will not get you to gold medal level strategy execution. This article using a range of case studies to describe how to accelerate your execution and amplify your program outcomes.

1. If they were giving out gold medals at the Olympics
for execution, would your organisation be a contender?
How can you achieve gold medal execution in your
organisation?
This is part two in a series of articles on strategy execution. Previously, I compared three
execution environments. Amateur execution is the lowest level where even the basics are
not in place. Professional execution is set up for reasonable execution productivity, but is
not the best it can be.
Perhaps you’re operating at professional level, and wondering how you can accelerate your
projects further to achieve the “gold medal” level. At professional level, you’ve implemented
solid project management disciplines, a change management framework and have a strong
commercial focus within your project team.
Your question now is how to accelerate your execution and amplify your program outcomes.
We can learn how to prepare for gold medal execution by considering lessons from Olympic
athletes.
Achieving gold medal execution
Athletes who have gone professional are already training hard and achieving results. To
compete in the Olympics and win gold, athletes need a much higher level of effort and
Winning the gold medal
for strategy execution
© Lisa Carlin 2013 • lisa.carlin@futurebuildersgroup.com • 0418 115 939 • Page 1

2. © Lisa Carlin 2013 • lisa.carlin@futurebuildersgroup.com • 0418 115 939 • Page 2
focus. They draw from their fully integrated capability, competing on a physical, mental
and psychological level. They fully harness input and energy from their coaches and team
members. They also harness sponsor support, and draw energy and inspiration from
the broader community. They immerse themselves in the local environment to acclimate
before their event.
Let’s apply this analogy to a gold medal strategy execution team.
Value integrated capability
The gold medal program or project manager draws from an
integrated capability across all three perspectives that I described
in a previous article: commercial, project and people perspective.
Most program/project managers will present as having experience
across all three, but in my experience of interviewing many varied
program and project managers, few actually have an integrated
perspective.
Case Example
I was asked to mentor an execution team who were piloting a new distribution model
for a product.
The business owner was not providing sufficient commercial input, and the project
manager lacked commercial judgement, so that the solution piloted proceeded without
a rigorous business case, and missed subtle customer requirements. We worked
together to halt the costly pilot.
Ultimately a new team developed a distribution model with stronger commercial
underpinning, with a rigorous business case. This original execution team lacked a
commercial perspective - a very expensive mistake.
Furthermore, if the program or project manager works from an integrated perspective, they
can break down boundaries between different team members, fostering an environment
where the team works together seamlessly without compartmentalised planning. You
should not have a separate project plan, people plan, change plan, or stakeholder plan
– there is real synergy when they are integrated, and this means much more than just
synchronising dates and activities. It means that each planned activity is designed and
executed from an holistic perspective.
Commercial
Project People
Value
Integrated
Capability
AcclimateHarness
Sponsor
Support
Harness
Community
Energy

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In the above example, change management activities were separated from the mainstream
project activities through a series of staff and stakeholder engagement activities. In
contrast, the gold medal example below included carefully orchestrated interventions that
achieved a valuable project task while simultaneously taking people along a journey and
building support for the initiative.
Case Example
The distribution model pilot that I described above was further challenged by
compartmentalised or “bolt on” change management due to a project manager who
didn’t fully understand the value of change management.
The change manager was asked to focus on stakeholder consultation only, and
was expected to deliver change management plans and reports, but not invited to
participate in broader pilot team discussions.
This meant that the input from the various stakeholders was not properly factored into
the pilot planning, which was another reason for the expensive failed initial pilot.
Gold Medal Case Example
One project within a cost reduction program was to introduce a new system for all
staff. The issue the execution team faced was how to select and then introduce the
new system in a way that minimised adverse impact on staff.
Together with the sponsor, we appointed a project manager and a change manager,
and we worked together seamlessly with technology and the business to deliver the
new system successfully. There was no disruption to business, and the cost savings
reported since are 3 times initial projections.
A key success factor was establishing working groups with representation across
divisions. Often working groups are merely narrowly-defined, short tenure vendor
selection panels. These groups however provided critical insight and advocacy for the
change, while being were integral in screening and selecting solutions and vendors.
This means the project achieved a critical project task while simultaneously building
support. By the time the system was introduced, staff were aware and accepting of
the new solution.
Harnessing sponsor support
Strong, visible sponsor leadership from the “top down” is critical to any change program.
The Executive sponsor must stay sufficiently involved so that the strategic and commercial
intent remains on track, and must also value an integrated program and people perspective.
The sponsor also provides advocacy and strategic support for the program.

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Harnessing community energy
While “top down” leadership is important, “bottom up” support from the community of
employees and external stakeholders will further accelerate execution. The challenge is
to harness the personal leadership of individuals at all levels to create a “groundswell” of
support, so that dispersed actions are in sync with your goal. Consider how to engage
your community, so they identify with the project, and feel personally responsible for its
success. This is the next level of engagement beyond crowdsourcing of ideas - popularised
through more accessible technologies, and social media platforms such as Yammer.
Gold Medal Case Example
One of the best sponsors I’ve worked with is strategic, commercial and visionary – he
was clear on the future he wanted to create, and engaged an outstanding execution
team to help him deliver. He made useful suggestions to resolve complex issues, and
got involved when needed to advocate on the team’s behalf with other executives.
The projects delivered under his sponsorship generated outstanding returns for the
organisation, who also achieved public acknowledgement of their innovation both
within and outside their industry.
Gold Medal Case Example
Our core project team to improve customer experience constituted 10 people, but
when we celebrated our success at the end of the project, our celebration included 120
people across the organisation in a variety of roles whose role significantly changed as
a result of the project.
We introduced a campaign that engaged each critical line manager and their team,
and tied the achievement of their personal job deliverables to the project’s success.
Each individual involved adjusted the focus of their role significantly in line with our
project outcome. They were encouraged and motivated to do this for many reasons,
including the increased visibility they received in the organisation for being part of the
project.
This meant we were able to leverage and accelerate our core team’s efforts
considerably.
Acclimate
Finally, as the best athletes know they need to acclimate to any new environment before an
event, a gold medal execution team needs to acclimate into the organisation. They need to
integrate their efforts and focus into the culture, rather than working against the culture.
This usually calls for the execution team to immerse themselves into the culture, ensuring
they have adequate involvement and representation within the execution team of those

5. © Lisa Carlin 2013 • lisa.carlin@futurebuildersgroup.com • 0418 115 939 • Page 5
Rosabeth Moss-Kanter describe as “change recipients”. It also means the execution team,
or at least the program/project manager understands culture and organisational norms,
and can explicitly develop a project approach that will work within the culture. At amateur
level, the change will be blocked entirely. At professional level, some change will occur
amidst significant fatigue and frustration. At gold medal level, change will be strongly
supported by a groundswell of advocacy.
Coming next… How execution teams can work within, not against, the culture.
Lisa Carlin is a strategy execution consultant within the FutureBuilders
Group. She mentors managers, program and project teams to successfully
plan and execute business transformations – accelerating strategic, multi-
disciplinary or complex change. She assembles integrated execution
teams from within her clients, and from her deep network of experienced
consulting colleagues. Prior to establishing her own consultancy in 1999,
she worked across 3 continents for McKinsey & Co, Accenture and other
global consulting firms.
Selected capabilities in different execution environments
Professional execution Gold medal execution
Integrated
commercial
capability
Business case documented, approval
process ticks the boxes. No rigorous
analysis or evaluation
Rigorously analysed, articulated and
evaluated business case
Integrated
change
management
capability
Change managers develop a separate
stream of activities that are not fully
integrated into the project plan
Change managers integrally involved
in project planning. Project activities
are integrated: simultaneously building
support, while also delivering specific
task outcomes
Harnessing
sponsor
involvement
Sponsor is clearly defined and feels
ownership. Monitors progress.
Participates in regular steering
committee meetings to review progress,
contribute ideas and make decisions.
Same as professional level PLUS:
actively drives project forward, makes
constructive suggestions to the team that
add real value. Injects strong strategic
and commercial guidance. Instrumental
in breaking down barriers, actively uses
positional power and personal influence
to lobby others for support.
Harnessing
community
energy
Consulting with others in the broader
organisation/community as part of
the project plan. Others feel they are
“helping out”.
Significantly involving others so they
feel shared ownership and responsibility
for delivering the project’s objectives.
Motivating others to identify with your
shared goal.