The Step Change Blog

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UPDATED as of 28 August 2020

The 4 Disciplines of Execution

Plans and strategies may change. Behaviours, however, not so much. At least, not as quickly. It is important to understand that good execution is not only a condition of knowledge and skill, but it is also a condition of the will. 

How do you, as an organisation, move forward as a team when goals are already challenging enough on your own? The key lies in two words— first principles.

In this special interview, the 4 Disciplines of Execution co-author Sean Covey expertly delivers insights and anecdotes on:

• The 4 Disciplines in a nutshell
• How purpose and discipline affect your execution
• Sustaining your Wildly Important Goal even in the midst of chaos
• What successful organisations are doing right and what others are getting wrong

Too often history shows that a good strategy fails to deliver a productive outcome in terms of the bottomline. Strategy and execution are in a word— inseparable. They are the two sides of the same coin. In order to successfully execute on your goals, you need focus.

One thing you already know about acting on a great idea is the fact that chaos will be involved. It is very easy to lose focus when you have to wade through a quagmire of priorities and goals daily. As teams lose focus, they eventually lose power, which is why you need a game plan.

In this week's Knowledge Nuggets, let us take a look at the 4 Disciplines of Execution by authors Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Jim Huling, who address the issue of what constitutes the disciplines of excellence in execution of strategy.

When it comes to running a business, it is important that you stand above the competition. And in the dog-eat-dog business world it is no longer enough to just offer great products. It is also necessary to take your customer’s comfort into account. 

What’s the use of having the best tech and services if your customers can’t get a hold of your product in the most efficient way possible? Or if they do get the product, it becomes a struggle to have it repaired or returned. This is where Experience Disruptors come in.

Developing Team Efficiency

UPDATED: Change continues to unravel itself daily. Whether it’s premeditated like a goal you’ve been meaning to achieve or something that’s caught you by surprise such as a pandemic– the truth that change will always be with us still remains.

The choice between simply managing change and leading change, however, makes all the difference.

In a special interview, Scrum Co-author J.J. Sutherland talks about:

• The importance of embracing change and using it for growth
• How Scrum-oriented organisations are faring in the midst of drastic change
• The value of happiness and connection among teams in relation to productivity
• His new book The Scrum Fieldbook: Faster Performance. Better Results. Starting Now.  
• Whether you are setting up a small business or running a multi-million dollar company, team efficiency is what sets you up for success.

In this week’s Knowledge Nugget, let us take a closer look at Scrum by Jeff and JJ Sutherland. 

Understanding different aspects of human behaviour is crucial to every strategy. In this week’s Knowledge Nugget, we’ll take a closer look at Switch by Chip Heath & Dan Heath.

How are today's technologies and current trends shaping and changing the world we live in, and how is it impacting today's businesses?

In this week’s Knowledge Nuggets, we’re covering The Fourth Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwab, chairman of the World Economic Forum. 

UPDATED as of 10 July 2020

In a special interview with Step Change, Dual Transformation co-author Mark W. Johnson shares valuable insight for businesses looking to reposition themselves in this new normal while creating the future ahead of them.

The business model innovation and new growth strategy expert also discusses:

• The A+B+C model business seeking transformation and momentum should adapt
• What successful businesses are doing right and what others are getting wrong in their transformation journey
• The importance of having a vision and a hands-on approach to leadership

Watch the video now.

Disruption is imminent, and organisations must find a way to be more resilient as they step forward into growth and implement their transformation efforts.

Disruption is coming. How does your business respond?

Disruption is coming. How does your business respond?

Last year saw tremendous growth in Australian ecommerce and is expected to maintain an upward trend in the next few years. Are retailers still on track with their online marketing strategy for 2020?

Once upon a time, everyone turned to CMOs to become champions for the brand for advertising, brand management, and market research. But today’s emerging technologies have pushed CMOs to wear new hats and take on a more blended role across IT, sales, and finance. 

After almost a decade of association and working together at a project level across strategy, creative, and digital, we are solidifying our relationship with The Zoo Republic via a merger. Read on to find out more.

Step Change works with some of Australia’s largest and fastest-growing businesses to effectively communicate business strategy and market insights from the bottom up. 

The year 2020 is an exciting year for the ever-changing landscape of marketing. As we enter into a new decade, we share four important trends marketers need to keep their eyes on.

The new year is here! And as we venture forward with fresh business insights and useful strategy, here are the top 10 articles most popular with C-suites in 2019 that you may have missed. 

Many companies today are opting for procurement to manage their marketing spend. But marketers and agencies have always been at odds when it comes to procurement. Understanding the role that procurement plays and how it impacts marketing is crucial to not only save on costs but to pave the way for better alignment in achieving the brand’s vision.

Customer-centricity used to be something that the marketing department was responsible for. But in the Age of the Customer, it needs to be at the heart of the business, which then ripples right through every department — from operations to marketing, sales, management, legal, and compliance.

Today’s marketing strategies are constantly evolving. As we close out the last few weeks of the year, it’s important to reflect on what current marketing strategies continue to deliver the best results so you can plan for 2020 ahead with the right precision. 

Acquiring 300 leads every month won’t make a big difference if none of them ends up buying from you. Going after every lead can be very costly.

Robert Steers, our Director and Head of Digital, made a special guest appearance in the #Katietalks podcast to share his insights on social media trends and the changes he’s seeing in today’s business environment.

With over 18 million active social media users in the country, having a social media platform is vital for the success of your brand. But it’s not enough to post content regularly. It’s all about the long game, so it’s equally vital to know if your efforts have a positive impact on your brand. 

The year is coming to a close and we want to end it with a bang through a series of free events and key offerings lined up for you that are sure to help augment your strategy and add value to your business now and into the future. 

Brands are overwhelming people with so much content when what they actually need are authentic connections. But running on creativity without data just misses the mark. To build authentic and lasting connections with your customers, you need to use data-driven creativity. 

Our CEO is best known as Australia’s Predatory Marketer — an expert in pinpointing how brands can grow by outsmarting their competitors. But few know that Ash took the less-travelled path before becoming who he is now.

Assuming that content strategy and brand strategy are interchangeable is one of the reasons why most strategies fail. So let’s get one thing clear before we dive right into the details: A solid brand strategy informs your content strategy. A well-executed content strategy builds better brand reputation.

As you strive to become a more customer-centric organisation, putting the customer at the centre of your digital transformation is the key to success. But how do you get started? 

Growing your business sustainably can be a tough egg to crack in our current condition. The slowing economic growth and faltering customer confidence mean business conditions are declining. One wrong move and you could end up wasting your money on initiatives that are bound to fail. 

Digital marketing is indispensable to any business and can make all the difference in the success of your overall strategy. But online trends change quickly. We reveal the latest digital marketing insights to bring your A-game for 2020.

The economic downturn and increasing digital disruption has led to some businesses and industries folding. We use the Step Change strategic lens to explore what businesses in a sunset industry can do to rise above.

Our friends at Lanrex are hosting a Digital Transformation Breakfast to equip business leaders on the best way to optimise operations and empower their people in the digital era — and we’d like to extend the invitation to you and your team.