Read Transforming Corner-Office Strategy into Frontline Action from the HBR article set ( pag 110 to 120).
A strategic principle is a statement that helps employees align their actions with the strategic direction of the company while simultaneously empowering them to innovate and take risks.
“The ability of frontline employees to execute a company’s strategy without close central oversight is vital as the pace of technological change accelerates and as companies grow rapidly and become increasingly decentralized. To drive such behavior, a company needs to give employees a mandate broad enough to encourage enterprising behavior but specific enough to align employees’ initiatives with company strategy.”
A strategic principle is distinct from a mission statement. A mission statement broadly encapsulates an organization’s aims, aspirations, and core values. A strategic principle more explicitly gives guidance to employees to help them make strategically consistent choices.
For this discussion, draft a strategic principle for Walmart. Describe a specific scenario, real or hypothetical, in which that strategic principle guides the actions of an employee to be consistent with the overall company strategy. For example, you can describe a situation in which a customer service representative, marketing manager, or frontline employee must independently make a decision. You can also imagine yourself and your company and situations you face: how would you apply your strategic principle?
