Balanced Scorecards and Operational Dashboards with Microsoft Excel, 2nd Edition

Chapter 8

Step-by-Step to Rollout and Strategic Reviews

I sure wish I’d done a better job of communicating with GM people. I’d do that differently a second time around and make sure they understood and shared my vision for the company. Then they would know why I was tearing the place up, taking out whole divisions, changing our whole production structure... I never got this across.

—Roger Smith

CEO of General Motors

Strategic Choices by Kenneth Primozic, Edward Primozic, and Joe Leben

The Balanced Scorecard is a tool for change. It is not just for reporting metrics. It is not just for managing performance. It is definitely not just a one-time performance project. The Balanced Scorecard is a tool for creating a strategy-focused organization. To become a strategy-focused organization, you must communicate your strategy so that everyone knows how they can and will contribute.

This chapter examines a few of the processes involved in communicating and rolling out the Balanced Scorecard. It’s the beginning of your journey toward building a strategy-focused organization.

Creating a Culture Focused on Strategy

I occasionally use laser pointers during presentations. Each is powered by a single AAA battery. My kids sometimes play “light tag” at night by shining two laser pointers across the fairway of the golf course beyond our backyard. That single AAA battery gives this 2-inch-long laser enough power to light a spot on a tree 100 yards away.

I also keep a small flashlight in my travel kit ...