In supporting organisations in the development of Strategy, The Holos Group utilise Strategic Intentions as a foundation for establishing the key areas of focus (Key Result Areas) that underpin an organisation's strategy.
The purpose of developing a series of Strategic Intentions is to establish clear 'mini visions' for the (up to five) key imperatives that will underpin and inform the organisation strategic agenda for a specific Strategy Cycle.
The four aspects of a Strategic Intention include:
1) Focus/Purpose
The Focus/Purpose of a Strategic Intention is the 'why' of a specific strategic imperative. It describes what will have been accomplished for the specific strategic imperative once it is completed and why this is important to the organisation's future. It also identified the value that will be created for the organisation in implementing the specific Strategic Intention, and resulting experience of that value to the 'end user' (e.g., Stakeholder, Provider, Partner, Client, etc).
2) Success Indicators
Success Indicators define the 2-3 Primary (and any Secondary) Indicators that the Strategic Intention is 'Done'. It defines in tangible ways the end 'products' that will have been produced once the Strategic Intention is completed (note: Success Indicators identify what will have been completed, not how it will be completed).
3) Leading Progress Indicators
Developed to support the individuals and teams tasked with implementing the KRA (or KRAs) of a Strategic Intention to remain 'on track' in its implementation. Leading Progress Indicators track success likelihood. Of note is an appreciation that the Leading Progress Indicators can be both tangible and intangible.
4) Key Strategic Tasks/Roles & Related Accountabilities
Key Strategic Tasks/Roles include the 3-4 'mission critical' tasks or roles required to implement the Strategic Intention successfully, plus the 2-3 underpinning Accountabilities for each Strategic Task/Role (note: Accountabilities are written 'in action' for example: Designing, Implementing, Creating, Monitoring, etc). Also note that an Accountability is not an individual, but a collection of tasks that any individual (or group of individuals) need to undertake in support of realising a Strategic Intention's purpose.
