(Audible Unabridged, narrated by Eric Conger)
This was a re-read (re-listen?) as I had read this a number of years ago when it first came out. I wanted to deploy the idea of defining a thematic goal for my team at work, so I downloaded the audiobook to listen to on my commute.
Model
Introducing the Model
To avoid politics and turf battles, leaders must establish a rallying cry a single overriding theme that remains the top priority of the entire leadership team for a given period of time. In turn, this rallying cry or “thematic goal” serves to align employees throughout the organization and provides an objective tool for resetting direction when things get out of sync. While it is useful for companies to have both a long term vision and a set of short term, tactical objectives, the thematic goal is intended to bridge the two. It makes the vision more tangible and it gives the tactical objectives more context. For the thematic goal to take root in an organization, it needs to originate at the executive team level. Once the thematic goal is set for the organization, each department can then create a corresponding thematic goal.
Definitions
Thematic Goal
A single, qualitative focus or rallying cry that is shared by the entire leadership team and ultimately, by the entire organization-and that applies for only a specified period of time.
Defining Objectives
The temporary, qualitative components that serve to clarify exactly what is meant by the Thematic Goal; shared by all members of the team (and usually varying in number from four to six).
Standard Operating Objectives
Other key objectives that an executive team must focus on and monitor. These objectives do not go away from period to period and often include topics such as: revenue, expenses, customer satisfaction, quality etc.