Your company's people

Earlier I discussed value chains, a detailed look at your processes. Your processes are comprised of infrastructure and people. As you formulate strategy, you must assess your people - your capabilities. Specifically, how well:

• do they understand and support your current strategy
• can younger folks successfully sell their ideas to senior management
• do your folks represent your customers as you formulate strategies
• can folks step up to take on additional responsibility -- what stands in the way

You find out by asking, typically through interviews, surveys, or focus groups.

10 to 20 interviews are best done by outsiders, who can guarantee anonymity.

30 to 40 question surveys can question larger groups, and you'll want at least one-half of your employees or 300 folks to respond, which ever is smaller.

Focus groups usually involve three sets of 8-10 folks who spend about two hours discussing the issues. These are typically taped.

Finally, how ever you gather the data, you must take action on their best suggestions, or the next time that you ask, the process will not have credibility.