Strategy Execution
Strategy Execution is the effective implementation of strategic plans. It encompasses the skills of translating strategy into tangible actions and monitoring the progress of these plans. Firmly grounded in clear communication and decisive action, it ensures the organizational objectives are achieved effectively and efficiently.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning how to support the basics of turning strategy into action by following clear instructions and keeping organized records. You help your team by making sure tasks are completed on time and openly sharing updates. Your attention to detail ensures the group stays on track with agreed plans.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are beginning to put strategic plans into action by following established steps and seeking guidance when needed. You translate team goals into clear tasks and keep track of progress, raising any issues as they appear. Your efforts help ensure activities stay aligned with agreed priorities.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to turn strategic plans into clear actions, ensuring your team understands priorities and timelines. You track progress against targets, swiftly addressing issues to keep everyone on course. Your approach helps the organization achieve its goals efficiently and reliably.
Resource Planning
Resource Planning is the strategic allocation of materials, time, and workforce. It requires an understanding of both current capacity and future needs. Effective resource planning anticipates demands for smooth operational progress and promotes fiscal responsibility, directly impacting sustainability and business growth.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning how to identify the basic resources—such as time, people, and materials—needed for your team’s work. You support resource planning by following set processes and asking questions when demands or capacities change. This helps your team work steadily and meet goals without unnecessary delays or waste.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are contributing to basic resource plans and assisting in tracking the use of materials, time, or people against agreed tasks. You follow established processes and seek guidance when balancing competing needs. Your work helps your team deliver on priorities and highlights where future planning could be improved.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to assess available resources and plan their use to meet both immediate operational needs and longer-term goals. You make informed decisions that balance priorities, optimize capacity, and prevent bottlenecks. Your approach ensures resources are used effectively, supporting steady progress and contributing to broader business objectives.
Strategic Stakeholder Mapping
Strategic Stakeholder Mapping is the critical process of identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing entities that can impact an organization's strategic objectives. It involves understanding stakeholders' interest, influence, and relationships to inform strategic planning. Effective mapping leads to improved stakeholder engagement, smoother change management, and ultimately a more resilient strategy.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning to identify key stakeholders relevant to your team or project and recognizing their general interests in organizational goals. You use simple tools or guidance to map basic relationships and note who may influence outcomes. This helps your team begin to consider stakeholders in planning discussions.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are beginning to identify key stakeholders in strategic initiatives and collect basic information about their interests and influence. You contribute to team discussions about stakeholder priorities and start to recognize how stakeholder analysis supports effective planning. Your developing skills help your team to consider a wider range of perspectives in strategy work.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to systematically identify and assess key stakeholders who influence strategic goals. You use this understanding to inform your planning, ensuring stakeholders are appropriately prioritized and engaged. This leads to stronger alignment, less resistance to change, and better strategy outcomes.
Strategic Risk Assessment
Strategic Risk Assessment is critical for steering organizational directions. It involves mapping out potential business hazards, predicting their impact, measuring risk tolerance levels, and formulating contingency plans. Effective risk assessment drives forward-thinking strategies, mitigates uncertainties, and bolsters overall business resilience.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are able to recognize basic organizational risks and understand the importance of assessing them for strategic planning. You support more experienced colleagues by collecting information and assisting with simple risk identification tasks. Your awareness helps the team consider risks early, building a stronger starting point for effective strategies.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are able to recognize emerging risks within planned strategies and assist in gathering information about their possible impacts. You contribute to mapping risks and drafting basic contingency options under guidance. This helps ensure your team is beginning to address uncertainties in strategy and planning activities.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to identify and assess complex organizational risks, drawing clear links between risks and strategic goals. You confidently evaluate the potential impact and likelihood of business hazards, and develop practical contingency plans. Your approach helps leaders make informed decisions and strengthens the organization’s readiness for uncertainty.
Strategic Reporting
Strategic Reporting is the discipline of crafting insightful, organized statements that communicate an organization's future direction and progress. This capability necessitates a deep understanding of organizational goals, paired with sharp analytical skills to translate complex data into meaningful narratives. The impact of proficient Strategic Reporting is informed decision making, facilitating proactive adjustments to the strategic direction.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are able to gather and organize basic information that supports strategic reports. You follow established templates and guidance to help present facts clearly to others involved in planning. Your contribution helps ensure decision-makers can rely on accurate, easy-to-understand data as they develop the organization’s direction.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are beginning to contribute to strategic reports by gathering relevant information and organizing it clearly. You seek guidance to understand organizational goals and ensure your inputs reflect these priorities. Your work helps others make sense of key data, supporting more informed decisions within your team.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to create clear, well-structured strategic reports that connect organizational goals with key metrics and trends. You draw on your analytical skills to turn complex information into concise insights that make sense to your audience. Your reporting supports leaders to make informed choices and adjust plans with confidence.
Strategic Prioritization
Strategic Prioritization is the ability to identify, evaluate, and order objectives in line with an organization's long-term strategy. It involves understanding an organization's strategic goals, setting priorities in relation to these, and communicating them effectively. By achieving this, coherence is maintained between daily operations and overarching aims, driving efficiency and success.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning to recognize your team’s key objectives and how they connect to broader organizational goals. You seek guidance to clarify priorities and make decisions based on clear direction from others. By doing this, you help your team focus efforts on what matters most and avoid unnecessary work.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are beginning to recognize how organizational goals shape daily priorities and tasks. You can contribute to discussions about what matters most, using guidance from managers to make choices that support the bigger picture. This helps ensure your team’s work aligns more closely with the organization’s strategic direction.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to analyze competing initiatives and set clear priorities that support the organization’s strategic goals. You confidently align resources and communicate these priorities to your team, ensuring everyone stays focused. This enables your area to achieve meaningful progress towards long-term objectives while adapting to changing demands.
Strategic Initiative Monitoring
Strategic Initiative Monitoring is the capability to track and evaluate the progress of key strategic projects. This capability involves assessing performance data, identifying potential risks, and efficiently implementing corrective action where necessary. The impact of this capability is improved goal alignment, resource utilisation, and effective strategy execution.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are able to follow guidance to help track the progress of key strategic initiatives. You collect basic project data, support regular updates, and flag any obvious issues to your manager. Your actions help your team stay informed and maintain alignment with broader strategy and planning efforts.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level, you can follow established processes to track the progress of strategic initiatives and recognize when performance is off target. You are learning to collect and interpret basic data to help identify risks and escalate issues as needed. This helps your team address problems early and keep projects aligned with organizational goals.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to regularly track and assess the progress of strategic initiatives, using data to spot issues and risks early. You act promptly to make adjustments, ensuring projects stay on course. By doing this, you help keep efforts aligned with organizational goals and ensure resources are used wisely.
Strategic Analysis
Strategic Analysis is the ability to assess organizational circumstances, market conditions, and possible outcomes to inform the strategy development process. It requires a strong critical thinking capability and an understanding of data analysis techniques. Through careful evaluation of internal and external factors, this capability guides planning and drives direction to achieve organizational objectives.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are able to gather basic information about your organization and its environment to support strategy discussions. You contribute by identifying straightforward trends and issues under guidance, using simple data sources. Your efforts help your team build a clearer understanding of the current situation and inform next steps in planning.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are able to gather and interpret basic data about the organization and its environment to support the planning process. You seek guidance when analyzing information or identifying trends, contributing insights that inform team discussions. Your efforts help others make informed decisions and improve the quality of strategic plans.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to independently analyze internal and external factors to inform strategic planning and decision-making. You apply structured critical thinking and suitable data analysis methods to recognize trends, risks, and opportunities. Your insights support your team or department in shaping clear, realistic strategies that align with organizational goals.
Strategic Alignment Auditing
Strategic Alignment Auditing is the ongoing evaluation of strategy to ensure it's moving the organization towards its goals. It helps identify misalignments between strategic intent and operational decisions. This capability ensures that the entire organization is working cohesively towards its strategic objectives, promoting efficiency and achievement.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are able to recognize when strategy and actions do not fully line up, and you ask questions to clarify how your team’s work supports organizational goals. You participate in discussions about how plans align with strategy. By doing this, you help your team spot gaps early and keep efforts focused in the right direction.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are able to support audits that check the alignment between strategy and operational activities. You follow established processes to help spot areas where the organization’s actions may not match its goals. Your efforts help the team recognize and address misalignments before they become larger issues.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to independently review and assess how organizational strategies align with goals and operational activities. You regularly identify gaps or misalignments, making practical recommendations to address them. Your work helps teams stay focused on shared objectives, leading to greater efficiency and progress towards targets.
Scenario Planning
Scenario Planning is the capacity to envisage, develop and strategically strategize for multiple potential futures. It involves analyzing influences on an organization, generating alternative future contexts, and crafting adaptable strategies. Through this, organizations can improve strategic agility, mitigate risks, and seize emerging opportunities.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are aware of the purpose of scenario planning and can identify some key factors that might shape an organization’s future. You participate in basic discussions about possible future scenarios and contribute information when asked. This helps your team begin thinking proactively about risks and opportunities, even if you are not yet leading or designing scenario activities yourself.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are starting to explore how different factors could shape the organization’s future. You contribute to scenario planning discussions and help gather information, but rely on guidance to analyze influences and consider alternatives. Your involvement helps the team think more broadly about possible risks and opportunities.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to develop and compare multiple plausible scenarios based on key trends and uncertainties that influence your organization. You draw on data and stakeholder insights to assess risks and opportunities in each scenario, helping your team adapt plans and build resilience. Your work ensures strategies are flexible and grounded in realistic analysis.
Strategic Benefits Realization
Benefits Realization is the capability of quantifying and tracking benefits derived from strategic initiatives and planning. It involves robust measurement and monitoring processes to ensure tangible benefits are accrued. This ability enables a strategic direction with measurable outcomes, strengthening overall planning by tying actions to specific benefits.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning to recognize what benefits are expected from strategic plans or projects. You can follow basic steps to record and track these benefits with guidance. Your work helps ensure the team stays focused on why the plan matters and how success is measured.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are learning to identify and describe expected benefits from strategic initiatives, using simple methods to collect and track relevant data. You contribute to monitoring processes under guidance, helping to link actions to planned outcomes. Your work supports more informed planning by showing early evidence of benefits.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to consistently quantify and track the benefits of strategic initiatives using clear measurement and monitoring processes. You ensure benefits are realized as planned, and adjust actions when needed to maximize outcomes. Your work strengthens planning by keeping benefits front of mind and demonstrating tangible results.
Planning Cycle Management
Planning Cycle Management is the ability to strategically orchestrate, monitor and adjust plans over extended periods. This involves comprehending company strategies and effective utilisation of resources to reach desired goals. The impacts include efficiencies in execution, improved agility and ultimately, heightened organization success.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning to follow the organization’s planning cycles and understand why they matter. You support basic planning activities by gathering information, helping with schedules, or checking progress under guidance. Your efforts help your team run more smoothly and give you insights into how longer-term goals are managed.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are starting to coordinate planning activities following set processes and timelines, while seeking guidance as needed. You show awareness of broader organizational goals, though you may still focus mainly on immediate tasks. As a result, your efforts help build consistency in plans and support smoother day-to-day operations.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to manage planning cycles from start to finish, aligning them with broader business strategies. You keep track of progress, adjust plans in response to changes, and coordinate resources to keep things on track. By doing this, you help your team deliver results on time and adapt quickly to new priorities.
Performance Framework Development
Performance Framework Development is the ability to design and establish measurable criteria to evaluate strategic progress. This involves understanding the strategic vision, translating that into actionable goals and identifying key performance indicators (KPIs). This capability contributes to data-informed decision making, ensuring strategies are optimized for success.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning how to support the development of performance frameworks by helping gather information on strategic objectives and potential metrics. You follow established guidance to assist with setting basic goals and measuring progress. Your contribution helps your team begin to track how well strategies are working.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are beginning to assist in creating performance frameworks by translating strategic plans into clear, measurable goals. You help identify relevant KPIs and track progress with guidance from others. Your work supports the team in measuring success and making better decisions based on strategic priorities.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to develop and implement performance frameworks that align with organizational strategy and clearly define KPIs for your team or area. You translate strategic objectives into measurable actions and track progress to inform decisions. Your work ensures planning efforts are focused and outcomes are monitored for ongoing improvement.
Operating Model Review
Operating Model Review is a strategic analysis and assessment capability. It refers to the evaluation of an organization's business model to ensure alignment with its vision and strategic goals. Crucially, it aids in uncovering inefficiencies, determining adjustments, and planning for sustainable growth impact.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are able to support operating model reviews by gathering and organizing relevant information about how your team works. You follow guidance to help identify basic inefficiencies or gaps that may affect your area. Your work helps inform more experienced colleagues and contributes to shaping future planning discussions.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are able to support reviews of the operating model by gathering data and helping to identify where business processes may not align with strategic goals. You assist more experienced colleagues in assessing inefficiencies and suggesting practical improvements. Your contributions help the team build a clearer foundation for ongoing growth planning.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to independently review and assess operating models to ensure they align with organizational strategy and long-term goals. You identify gaps or inefficiencies and recommend practical improvements that support sustainable growth. Your work directly informs planning decisions and helps drive better business outcomes.
Objective Setting
Objective Setting is a critical component of Strategy & Planning. It involves establishing clear, measurable, and time-bound goals aligned with strategic priorities. This capability necessitates exceptional analytical acuity, foresight, and the ability to harness the input of varied stakeholders. Through effective objective setting, organizations foster better decision-making, improved focus, and ultimately, superior organizational performance.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning to set simple, clear objectives within your team, guided by more experienced colleagues. You focus on understanding the bigger picture and how your team’s tasks contribute to broader organizational goals. This helps you prioritize your work and build good habits in planning and accountability.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are able to contribute to setting clear and achievable objectives with guidance. You use available information to help draft goals that support your team’s priorities and seek input from others where possible. Your efforts help build confidence in planning and encourage shared understanding within your group.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to set clear, measurable objectives that link directly to organizational strategy and priorities. You consult key stakeholders to ensure objectives are realistic, time-bound, and widely understood. This helps your team stay focused and aligned, driving stronger planning and execution across the business.
Governance Alignment
Governance Alignment is the ability to align strategic planning and efforts with organizational governance structures and policies. It involves understanding the current governance frameworks, identifying opportunities for strategic alignment, and guiding change as necessary. This enables clarity, reduces strategic risk, and forms a cohesive, transparent approach to delivering on organizational objectives.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are aware of the organization’s governance structures, policies, and procedures as they relate to strategy and planning. You follow established guidelines in your work and seek clarification if you’re unsure. Your adherence supports consistency, minimizes risk, and helps the team align with broader organizational objectives.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are able to recognize and follow the organization’s governance frameworks when supporting strategy and planning activities. You apply relevant policies with some guidance, seeking help to understand how governance affects your area. This helps ensure your input is aligned and reduces the risk of missteps in strategic work.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to identify how your team’s strategies align with organizational governance frameworks and policies. You adapt plans or recommend practical changes when needed, ensuring that governance is upheld throughout the planning process. This helps your team manage risks and deliver results that are both transparent and in line with organizational objectives.
Goal Alignment
Goal Alignment is the ability to unite business objectives within strategic and planning initiatives. It involves integrating team and departmental goals to support overarching business strategies. This capability is crucial in driving consistent direction and fostering organizational harmony; it ensures all efforts harmonise towards the company's success.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning how team or individual goals connect to broader business objectives. You understand the importance of aligning your tasks with strategic priorities and seek guidance where needed. This helps you contribute to consistent progress and supports the overall direction of your organization.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are beginning to connect your team's goals to broader business objectives, asking questions and seeking guidance to ensure alignment. You work with your manager to confirm your plans support the organization’s direction. This helps reduce mixed priorities and ensures your efforts move in step with overall strategy.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are capabilityed at aligning your team's goals with broader business strategies, ensuring your plans directly support organizational priorities. You help others understand how their work contributes to company objectives. By doing so, you create clear direction across your area and strengthen collaboration between teams.
Strategic Environmental Scanning
Environmental Scanning is the systemic examination and interpretation of external markets and conditions that impact an organization's strategy and planning. It necessitates an understanding of global trends, sector shifts, and potential disruptors. The impact is an enhanced strategic vision, facilitating informed decision-making and future-proof planning on a macro scale.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are beginning to identify and gather basic information about external trends, competitors, and market shifts relevant to your team's work. You use reliable sources and share findings that support small-scale planning or discussions. Your awareness helps your team stay informed about broader factors that may affect future decisions.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are starting to identify and gather information on external trends and changes that could affect your team or function. You use simple tools and seek guidance to analyze how these factors might influence your area. This helps you spot potential opportunities or risks and contribute ideas to strategic discussions.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are actively scanning and interpreting external trends, competitor activity and market shifts to inform your team's strategy and planning. You use reliable sources and bring relevant insights into business discussions and documents. Your work helps shape strategic priorities and supports confident, future-focused decisions.
Cross-functional Planning
Cross-functional Planning is a vital strategic capability enabling collaborations between different departments to achieve common objectives. It involves uniting diverse skills to create coherent, integrated strategies. Through team-wide communication and shared understanding, impact is streamlined, thus facilitating efficient, synchronised progress towards organizational goals.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning how to work with colleagues from different teams to support shared planning efforts. You participate in cross-functional discussions, share relevant information, and seek to understand team priorities. By doing this, you help build trust and lay the groundwork for more effective collaboration towards common organizational goals.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are starting to contribute to planning with colleagues from other teams, supporting joint problem-solving and sharing relevant information. You follow agreed plans and offer input when needed, while learning how your work connects to broader team goals. Your growing awareness helps build smoother coordination across departments.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to guide and coordinate cross-functional teams to create and execute integrated plans that align with overall strategic goals. You involve relevant stakeholders from different departments, fostering clear communication and shared ownership. This ensures resources are used effectively and organizational initiatives progress smoothly and efficiently.
Strategic Business Case Development
Business Case Development is the proficiency to construct compelling and comprehensive cases that rationalise an organization's business decisions. This involves integrating strategic planning, financial justification and risk assessment to propose valuable initiatives. Mastery of this capability produces informed, beneficial decisions and supports sustainable business growth.
Level 1: Emerging
At a foundational level you are learning how to gather relevant information and organize it to contribute to a basic business case. You follow established processes, work under guidance, and develop an understanding of how strategy and planning shape decision-making. Your contributions help ensure ideas are considered logically and support sound organizational choices.
Level 2: Proficient
At a developing level you are able to contribute to business case preparation by gathering relevant data and assisting with basic analysis. You help ensure proposals are aligned with strategic goals and begin to consider financial and risk factors. Your input supports clearer decision-making and demonstrates growing confidence in structured business case development.
Level 3: Advanced
At a proficient level you are able to develop solid business cases that clearly link proposed initiatives to organizational strategy and goals. You effectively combine financial analysis, risk assessment, and planning to build cases that withstand scrutiny and support decision-making. Your work leads to well-informed choices that drive lasting value for the organization.
