When Achilles speaks of strategy alignment as a key component of our Fractional HR services, we are referring to the way we assist executive groups in organizing their priorities, focusing resources through effective planning and communication competencies and executing plans.
One type of discussion that is challenging for leadership is what Achilles refers to as critical path decisions, or key decisions regarding people. This is when there is talent that is not positioned properly or able to contribute to their full potential. We find in these situations that loyalty, and concerns about seeing a positive outcome rather than a disruptive outcome, may cause executives to go back and forth for weeks or months about how to move forward with said talent. In this instance, there are one of three ways to handle the situation: accept the situation, work hard to change the situation in a positive way, or simply move on. Achilles helps client leadership navigate this difficult decision process as well as the aftermath.
The first step is to eliminate one of these paths (acceptance, change, or moving on), and then focus on the client’s first choice of the remaining two. When this is a group decision, a key discipline is to require each member to share their thoughts, and to remind one another that they cannot perpetually delay the final decision in fear of how to execute it. If one member of the committee is not ready to move on, then that person must engage as a champion with the full support and collective accountability of the group.
Our goal is to help our clients build team confidence and act on a clear path to minimize wasted time and effort. The best way to save a struggling person or initiative is to engage with decisive commitment, support and collective accountability. We are here to help you do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time so you can make a difference.
