The Productization of a Vision: Linking Operations to Strategy

A big picture, clear, long-term vision for any organization (start up or incumbent organization) is crucial for guiding all decision-making. However, translating that vision into overarching business goals, metrics and derived product road maps requires dedicated effort and a well-thought-out strategy. Company performance is either hindered or enabled by a set of connected systems, policies and behaviors that will either accelerate towards the vision or create significant resistance or worse.

One effective way to align an organization's operations with its vision is by implementing a an organizational architecture template that centers around what we call the four key pillars: performance measurement and setting goals, team structures, org charts and empowerment, rewards and incentives, and corporate culture. These pillars are grounded in a micro-economic understanding of human behavior and are essential for fostering long-term growth and performance. It is important that they are all balanced and work together in harmony. Product development that’s faithful to the vision and big ideas will either be met with four pillars that enable successful new products to thrive or damage your brand with all stakeholders like Wells Fargo did.

One example of a leader who successfully applied this approach is CEO Satya Nadella of Microsoft. By focusing on these four pillars, he was able to transform the company into one of the most valuable in the world. Too often leaders simply change an element of culture or a piece of performance evaluation and there is a breakdown. Satya reset Microsoft’s business model through a go to market strategy as he optimized the four pillars. Once in place, Microsoft began to unleash an effective product strategy that now rivals Apple’s and routinely encourages product plans that are bold with outstanding user experiences.

When starting to map out a strategy to bring your company closer to its vision, it's important not to jump straight into planning and execution. Instead, it's crucial to first develop a deep understanding of your target customers, as well as a strong connection to your company's values. For product management to thrive all four pillars must work in accord with one another.

Only with this understanding and connection can you create a framework that is aligned with the vision statement and big ideas that must get done—- and that the team can buy into and rally around.

It's important to be mindful of the relationships between the different components of the framework, as well as how they interact with each other. The corporate culture, for example, needs to be aligned with the incentives and rewards systems, which in turn must support the team structures and goals. Every piece of the framework must be grounded in customer needs and in sync to ensure that it is functioning properly and bringing the organization closer to its vision. Prioritization comes when the four pillars reinforce one another.

Product teams and sales teams seek to be motivated by a thoughtful structure like the 4 pillars that unleashes product differentiation and delights the target audience.