The Foreign Service Journal, September 2018

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2018 37 The key to delivering on any strategy is to understand what prevents effective strategic planning and implementation, and then to attack those challenges head on. Establish Routine Reviews Annual Strategic Review In-depth assessment of progress on all mission objectives. Quarterly Strategy Check-Ins Snapshot of progress on select mission objectives. What & Who State Department guidance requires… n Chiefs of mission must institute regular reviews to assess progress against all mission objectives and ensure the alignment of policy, planning, resources and program decision-making. n The full country team should participate, along with all those who oversee programs that support each mission objective. In addition, best practice recommends… n Chiefs of mission should convene quarterly strategy check-ins to assess progress against one to three select mission objectives and ensure the alignment of policy, planning, resources and program decision-making. n Country teammembers and staff who oversee programs that support the mission objectives being discussed should participate. n Quarterly strategy check-ins help leaders identify issues before they become problems, serving as an early warning system. The Benefits n Compare progress on all mission objectives. n Help section and agency heads make better decisions about strategic priorities and tradeoffs. n Communicate priorities to individual staff members and ensure all work is focused on achieving goals and objectives. n Hold employees accountable for delivering results that advance the mission strategy, including as part of their annual performance reviews. n Gain a snapshot of progress on one to three mission objectives without making judgments on all objectives. n Engage in timely problem-solving and course corrections, helping the team adapt to changing operating environments. n Align the day-to-day actions of staff with strategic priorities. n Hold employees accountable for delivering results that advance the mission strategy. data. Among the best tools within the ICS are the performance indicators and milestones, which create a link between the mission’s strategy and the expected outcomes. 3. Use routines to drive and monitor implementation. Having set the mission strategy, it is essential to establish implementation routines. Three simple but powerful routines create deadlines and a sense of urgency for the mission to deliver results. The first is a regular rhythm of strategic dialogues between the chief of mission, the DCM and the country team to review progress on implementation of the strategy, discuss and solve major challenges, and make decisions to drive implemen- tation forward. The second and third are annual strategic reviews and quarterly strategy check-ins (see chart below). For example, when a U.S. embassy in Asia wanted to paint a mission-wide picture of what was working, what wasn’t, and why, it launched a strategic review designed to test the integrated country strategy assumptions, measure progress and identify challenges. The review showed progress toward