Strategic Intent: Intention and Discrimination
I’ve worked in various sectors over the past 25 years, including education, and there seems to be one common factor that separates vibrant organisations from mediocre ones: Strategic Intent.
When you ask a business owner, or a Chair of the Board, or a CEO/Principal of a community organisation what their strategic intent is, they may repeat the mission or vision of the organisation. After all, it is a well-crafted message they paid thousands of dollars for and spent tens of thousands of dollars implementing. But this is not the strategic intent.
After speaking to them for an hour or so, the strategic intent, if it exists, spills out into the conversation. It sounds like this: “I just want to grow the organisation.” Or it might be “to help students in the local area”, or “sell the business for tens of millions”, or “be the best in the industry”. Whatever it is, it usually comes out in frustration after the mission and vision statements have failed to succinctly articulate it.
In one instance involving two schools I worked closely with, one had a clear strategic intent. The Principal wanted the school to grow, and grow big. We all knew it and were glad to go along for the ride. The other school did not have a strategic intent. The Chair of the Board struggled to articulate it, and the Principal was not the person to create it, as it was a school closely linked to a church. The distinction between the two schools was clear. One was vibrant and decision-making was framed within the strategic intent. The other oscillated from “good idea” to “good idea”.
Intention
When strategic intent is identified, it guides all decisions in the same direction. Success is not just about one big correct decision, it’s one hundred decisions pointing in the same direction. Actually, it’s thousands of smaller decisions made by each staff member, all pointing in the same direction.
It is the Principal making decisions with the intent in mind, as well as the teacher in the classroom, the Business Manager, members of the Maintenance Team, the Library Team and the Admin Team, all making decisions that align. Masterplans are created, long-term financial plans are developed, classroom curriculum is refined, all with this strategic intent in mind.
It isn’t complicated. Everyone knows that as they make decisions, they are asking themselves, does it help with the Strategic Intent? They may not use those exact words, but they are thinking along those lines because everyone understands the intent behind the purpose of the organisation.
Discrimination
A clear Strategic Intent also allows staff to discriminate between good, bad, and right ideas.
By the time an idea comes to the Principal, it’s rarely a bad idea. It has often been developed to the point where the Principal must decide between a good idea and the right idea. The way to discriminate, to say yes or no, is to already know the strategic intent.
Does this decision match where we are wanting to go?
- No, it isn’t. Ok, how do I nicely tell my staff member we won’t be approving this good idea?
- Or yes, it is. Great, how do we fund it?
When there is no strategic intent, it becomes difficult to say no or to convince the Executive Team that the answer should be no. How can we say no to a good idea if there is no clear picture of the path forward?
Let me provide three examples of clear strategic intent.
Example 1 – This school is committed to supporting students from lower socio-economic communities. The atmosphere is kind, generous and willing to help. The school provides programs to support families as well as students participating in its community, perhaps breakfast clubs or after-school tutoring. Tuition fees are intentionally set at an accessible level, with minimal increases each year. Unless heavily subsidised, it cannot offer international travel or skiing trips. It is local and mission driven. The front office team willingly spends time explaining consent forms and helping parents access support. It is an organisation with a strong focus on helping and supporting its community.
Example 2 – This school wants to grow. It may have been through a crisis and now has a new Principal focused on growth. Tuition fees steadily increase. Building programs are funded through grants and surpluses. Early staff turnover may occur as the organisation transitions from infancy to maturity. Marketing the school’s success becomes a priority, bringing parents and the community along on the journey. It is a growing organisation, making different decisions to the first school.
Example 3 – This school wants to be the best in its city. It is focused on academic success, perhaps with a stand-out performing arts or sports program. Building plans are expensive and tuition fees reflect that level of investment. Staff attraction and retention are demanding, with high performance expected. Customer service from the front office is sharp and precise. The reception area is well appointed. The school uniform is articulate, with strong enforcement. Excellence is evident not just in the classroom, but in graduation ceremonies, assemblies, and sports days. Again, it makes different decisions because it has a strategic intent “to be the best”.
Can you see how not just one decision, but every decision, is defined by the strategic intent of the organisation, by the very reason the organisation exists?
So, what is the strategic intent of your organisation? Do you have one? Is it clear? Does your Executive Team know it? Do your staff know it, not just the teachers?
If you don’t know what your intent is, listen to yourself driving home after a frustrating day when you say, “I just want the organisation to…”. Or when you see something and think, “That’s what I want.” Once you know it and can clearly express it to your team, you can create a vibrant organisation that attracts people towards your strategic intent. And that’s an exciting place to be.
