A strategy enables the lab to define a specific long-term goal and build a map to achieve it. Frances Frei and Anne Morriss from Harvard describe strategy this way in their book, Unleashed: “Strategy, done well, empowers organizations by showing employees how to deploy resources they control (time, focus, capital, etc.) in the absence of direct, hands-on leadership.” Building a strategy requires thinking critically about what the lab can do and aligning it with available opportunities. Here are five tips to help you develop a strategic plan for your lab.
Define the vision
The vision for the lab is a simple, aspirational, and memorable statement of what the lab can be or do. It is a summary of the purpose. It helps people understand where the lab is going and what it needs to achieve to get there. A well-crafted vision helps staff build an emotional connection with the lab, which in turn helps them persevere through challenges and maintain motivation to complete the work.
Assess the current state
An effective strategy requires an objective understanding of the lab’s current state. A common tool to evaluate the current state is a SWOT analysis, which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The strengths capture what the lab does well, where it generates success, and how it makes a difference for its stakeholders. The weaknesses are where the lab struggles, where things aren’t working, and what is interfering with the lab’s success. The opportunities suggest ways for the lab to grow, new scientific areas it can explore, and ways to expand its influence among potential new stakeholders. The threats are things that put the lab at risk. They may include factors such as competitors, trends, disruptions, and funding and support instability. Getting a clear view of the lab's realities enables you to build on its strengths and opportunities while protecting against its weaknesses and threats.
Define objectives
Defining objectives creates the goals needed to achieve the strategy. These objectives are often written in qualitative terms and supported by key results, which are written in SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and timely) format to ensure everyone involved has a clear understanding of what is expected and required.
Develop the message
It is vital for the lab manager to communicate the strategy to the staff and key stakeholders. Staff need to understand the benefits, needs, actions, and timelines so they can make decisions and take actions aligned with the strategy's objectives. Clear communication also clarifies who is responsible for each OKR and how escalation will be managed to address challenges or conflicts. Often, the challenges of a new strategic plan aren’t weaknesses of the plan itself, but rather ineffective communication to staff.
Develop metrics
As a new strategy is implemented, it is important to develop metrics to understand where things are going as expected and where the lab is facing challenges. Peter Drucker, the management guru, said, “What gets measured, gets managed.” Having effective metrics that measure what matters helps the lab track and benchmark the changes driven by the strategic plan. The metrics also provide data to understand when adaptation and change are needed to reach the vision.
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