Is your company using a dynamic approach to strategy? Are your marketing and communications programs keeping pace?

I’m thinking about these questions in the wake of attending a workshop led by Keith McFarland , consultant and writer best known for his book, The Breakthrough Company. In the first part of the workshop, McFarland talked about a dynamic approach to strategy that supersedes the annual (or even longer-range) strategic planning process. Basically, the former tech-company CEO said we should, with the right heads in the room, be able to build our strategy in 48 hours and that we must refresh it every 90 days.

My first thought was, "Wow, we’ve only begun to execute our strategy (built in somewhat more than 48 hours) and we should be in our second refresh cycle by now!" My second thought was, "Maybe we’re not so bad off, after all." What we’ve done recently within our B2B marketing communications company can be summarized as:

1. Followed a process of self analysis involving people throughout the organization
2. Established a strategic framework – the major themes and areas to focus on
3. Begun to tackle the prominent structural and process issues
4. Currently trying out new ideas, technology, techniques in many areas

Based on my introduction to McFarland’s approach, I think he’d say we’re on the right track and we still need to formalize learning and insight – close the loop – to make our business strategy truly proactive and adaptive. We do, and of course we need to apply dynamic strategy to our work for clients, too!

One of the ways we are doing this is with new capabilities and a sharp focus on customer insight. By applying deep knowledge of clients’ customers in compelling and ongoing ways, we’re using a dynamic approach to strategy for marketing solutions and marketing communications programs. In the rapidly evolving world of B2B marketing, there are advantages to agility and adaptability – advantages that are enhanced many times over by an equally vibrant and valid strategy. Clearly strategy needs to evolve, and adapt, through the life-cycle of the customer relationship.

McFarland advocates an iterative, flexible and dynamic approach to strategy: collapse the process into short cycles; be honest about what’s working and what’s not; then decide, adapt and take action. We’re taking this advice to heart in our own business, and I believe it’s applicable as well to B2B marketing communications strategy.

What’s your strategic planning process look like? Does your company adapt quickly to new circumstances? How about your marcom strategy? Is it dynamic? Adaptive? I’d love to hear your views.