Why strategy can feel stale

Jane Finlayson
Strategic Doing Facilitator | Independent Consultant

For some manufacturers, the last strategy they developed never got traction and didn’t survive the turbulent times we’ve been experiencing. For others their strategy lives in a document that no one’s opened since the last planning retreat.

That’s not because people don’t care. It’s usually because the plan doesn’t really align to the culture of the business or how people actually work day to day and things just get “too busy”.

The sector been through a few rough years — COVID, supply chain shocks, inflation, floods, staffing challenges. The latest Manufacturing Productivity Index from BusinessNZ tells a pretty clear story: output is down, confidence is soft, and many businesses are focused on survival, not growth. It’s understandable.

But it also makes now an ideal time to reset and refocus strategy for the future.

Strategy alone isn’t enough

A well-crafted strategy can set direction. But culture or the way your people feel, think, and behave, to solve problems together determines whether that strategy produces results.

When strategy and culture are aligned, the waka moves forward faster. Both need to be agile so you have the ability to change direction when needed.

Manufacturers know this intuitively. You can feel the difference between a team that’s aligned and one that isn’t. On a shop floor, when things click, productivity hums.

Collaboration is a strategic asset

One of the most powerful things I’ve seen in projects over the years is how fast momentum builds when people collaborate, regardless of their roles, their tenure or their culture. People love being part of the winning team.

What I like about Strategic Doing as a framework is it provides a structure to create shared ownership and accountability through regular check-ins and small, doable steps that keep the waka moving.

Similarly the process doesn’t require expensive consultants or endless analysis. Instead, it helps teams unlock the skills and resources they already have and put them to work – fast. It’s about taking small steps, testing them quickly, and adjusting as you go. In a tough economy, that kind of agility can be the difference between standing still and moving forward.

I think it is an approach that fits the New Zealand psyche, especially in manufacturing, full of practical, action-orientated people. Ready to roll up their sleeves and just get on with it.