Beneath the visible iceberg

Last weekend I took the exam for the Association for Strategic Planning's top certification, Strategic Management Professional. (I don't have the results yet - let's hope I passed!)

The body of knowledge for this exam is very comprehensive, covering both strategic planning and strategic management. At the start of this process I wondered how much a seasoned planner, senior executive and Chicago Booth MBA would learn. I can now say, a lot.

I have long understood that strategic planning and strategic management are about successfully adapting to change. A new construct I was exposed to that addresses the difficulties of change management is Stephen Haines' Iceberg Theory of Change. It states that while the focus of change management is almost always on on "what to do" - the 13% of the iceberg that is visible, which Haines calls "content" - the success of adapting to change depends critically on what's not visible.

Haines says what's unseen are:

• "Processes" - how you determine what to do it and then implement it successfully.

• "Structures" - how you are organized to plan and implement the resulting strategies.

• "Culture/commitment" - what your organization believes that may inhibit or embrace change and how the organization will respond to change efforts.

Using Haines' Iceberg Theory of Change, it become more apparent why many organizations do a poor job of strategic planning and implementation, if they plan their response to change at all.

It may be apparent that the environment in which the organization operates is changing. Organizational leaders may have good ideas for how to respond, whether it be increasing competitive advantage, adding customer value, adding products/services, entering new businesses, or any of many other possible actions.

But without an effective strategic planning and strategic management process, organizational structures to support the planning and successful implementation, and people that support the change, the results will likely be poor.