Strategic Map is a great tool for teaching leadership

I had the privilege of getting to meet and talk with Randy Gardner, CEO of Red Dot Corporation a while back and he shared with me a great story. He attended one of our CEOtoCEO Breakfast meetings and saw David Katri from Clark Nuber present their Strategic Map. He really grabbed onto that idea and felt he could use a tool like this in his own company. Below is a recent letter he sent me that I wanted to share with you because it is applicable to just about every CEO and business. Thanks Randy...

Over the past several years Red Dot had identified its Core Values, and established its Mission and Vision Statements; which have been placed on placards throughout the business. Red Dot has also gone to great lengths to communicate these strategic company choices, but as they stand alone, it isn’t entirely clear to the average employee or often managers how they fit into an over company strategy (the big picture).

When I saw the Strategic Map developed by Clark Nuber at the CEOtoCEO Breakfast, I immediately thought it might be a tool to help me communicate the place that Mission, Vision and Values have in Red Dot’s “bigger strategic plan or thinking.” I found it relatively easy to put our thoughts in to Clark Number’s Strategic Map structure, and our Graphic Design Manager worked his magic with regard to the final visual.

In the end, It helped me more easily put the pieces of our strategic thinking in to a succinct, easy to understand graphic that I could use to explain the associations, intent, and roles of Red Dot’s Strategic choices. Even then, strategic thinking is a very conceptual domain, and isn’t grasped by everyone who sees it. However, it is a great teaching tool for Red Dot’s leadership, and a solid reference for up and coming management prospects who will need to do this type of conceptual planning as they progress.

I hope this helps!

Randy Gardiner
President & CEO

RED DOT CORPORTATION
direct line (206) 394-3553
http://www.reddotcorp.com/