Between strategy crafting and execution

Over the last one week a colleague and I were involved in diagnosing
how strategy execution dilutes as it flows from the top to the
frontline salespeople and then down to the level of dealers.

It was interesting to note that the deviation in strategy execution
happens right from the group that crafts the strategy. This is due
to assumptions not clarified on small seemingly inconsequential
details like (how a certain initiative has to be carried out, what
is the context, and what is the overall purpose?)

This translates into more deviations and dilution as the strategy
flows downstream, which emphasis being placed more on the means than
the ends, and then the firm starts to track numbers that take focus
away from the overall purpose.

Finally, when the rubber hits the road at the level of the retailer
and dealer he/she is aligned to a totally different purpose by the
sales people than what the planning group wanted him to be.

And the reviews that are supposed to be clarifying these questions
only add up more to the confusion with people not knowing why they
are requesting a certain request or doing a certain activity.

It was an amazing learning as to how organizations are falling short
in performance and a pointer to things like how MUCH more they can
achieve.