Recently, I watched a Fox interview with former astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, hosted by Jesse Watters.
Jim CastigliaYou may recall the dramatic event in space when his initial eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) stretched from June 5, 2024, to mid-March 2025!
He told Watters he joined NASA because he wanted to be part of “something special.” This came after a stellar career as a Navy test pilot, including 21 combat missions during Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Southern Watch over Iraq, as well as missions over Bosnia.
Creating a Powerful Purpose
One of the most powerful strategies you can use as a company or department leader is creating a powerful purpose that your people see as “something special.”
Think about why people are drawn to Elon Musk’s SpaceX or the Navy SEALs.
If you’re not currently using this high-octane strategy, make it your mission to do so.
One reason I’ve found company owners I’ve worked with in the past don’t calendar strategic planning activities is that they don’t have a model for how to execute them.
Keep in mind that this is something special… this purpose, if you will, is a North Star for your employees. It can guide them in their actions and energy.
Purpose is the organization’s reason for being. Jim Collins says, “It captures the soul of the organization.”
Unlike a goal, which can be accomplished, a purpose can never be fulfilled.
Searching For Companies’ Purposes
Assignment: spend some time searching for different companies’ purposes.
I’ll present a few examples below:
- Mary Kay Cosmetics – to give unlimited opportunity to women
- Merck – To preserve and improve human life
- Wal-Mart – To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same things as rich people
- Hewlett-Packard – To make technical contributions for the advancement and welfare of humanity.
Defining your organization’s purpose (that something special) can be an incredibly valuable strategy. And if you haven’t already, calendar a strategic planning session or multiple sessions if necessary, for 2027.
One reason I’ve found company owners I’ve worked with in the past don’t calendar strategic planning activities is that they don’t have a model for how to execute them. So, I’d like to share an effective, powerful model you can use to plan your desired results for 2027.
Keep in mind we never rise to the occasion but fall to our level of training.
Note: one of my former clients, a CEO who ran a $50 million company, started his planning sessions in September of the previous year. So, the first thing I’d check is whether or not a strategic planning session is on the calendar in your company. Kudos to you if this has already been done.
This model is from Harvard, so it deserves serious consideration as a model for growth in 2027. It’s oriented to younger firms, but I believe it’s useful even for a mature business.
Six S Framework
It’s called the “Six S Framework” and was developed by Jeffrey Rayport, a professor at Harvard Business School. The Six S’s are:
- Staff
- Shared values
- Structure
- Speed
- Scope
- Series X
To apply the Six S Framework, consider the following:
1. Staff – does your team have the talent and motivation to back the company’s purpose and mission? Take a hard look at your key personnel. In previous articles, I provided a way to assess each individual's skill and motivation. Dream employees are highly skilled and highly motivated.
2. Shared values – are your company’s values clear and communicated to all? Values are a key part of culture. Larry Bossidy, former Chairman and CEO of Honeywell International, defines culture as values, beliefs, and norms of behavior. He strongly recommends that you hire people who already have the values you want. Trying to change someone’s values is an impossible task and a waste of time.
3. Structure – do you have a working organization chart that clearly shows the lines of accountability and authority? Or is it on a shelf somewhere gathering dust?! Do you actively train your people and do it consistently and constantly? Keep in mind we never rise to the occasion but fall to our level of training. That’s why world-class athletes and military special operators constantly train.
4. Speed – Marshall Goldsmith famously said, “What got you here won’t get you there.” As you grow, what new strategies and approaches will your organization need to support that growth? This is where assessing your systems, processes, and infrastructure can pay off big time.
5. Scope – this is where you plan your growth by defining your options. Will you grow in 2027 by creating and marketing new products to new prospects; will you grow by penetrating existing markets with existing products or services? Business guru Igor Ansoff, the father of corporate strategy, created the Ansoff Matrix for growth through 1) market penetration (existing products to existing markets), 2) market expansion (new customers for existing products), 3) product expansion (new products for existing customers), or 4) diversification (new products for new markets). Choose the option that best suits your firm.
6. Series X – what’s the necessary capital plan that will support your 2027 growth strategy? Do you know your numbers? Business speaks in numbers, and you must be fluent and fully understand any business's financial report cards, the balance sheet, the P&L, and the cash flow statement, for starters. One of the most valuable members of your team is your CPA and banker. Take advantage of their knowledge. Bring them in to teach your team. Remember that management makes decisions about activities that drive results (numbers).
Accounting Report Cards
Accounting converts business activities and transactions into numbers and reports them on accounting report cards.
Financial and business analysis converts the numbers on the accounting report cards back into activities. Good Activities = Good Numbers. Bad activities = Bad numbers. Good Management = Good Numbers. Bad Management = Bad Numbers!
These six factors are a great model for planning for 2027. If you’ve already completed your planning session, use this comprehensive model to check if you’ve missed anything.
Recap:
- Make sure your company’s purpose is clear and embraced by all.
- Calendar your 2027 strategic planning session/s.
- Use a good model for your plan. Don’t wing it or take a wild guess. Your plan is too important not to give it the attention and care it needs.
Reach out to me if you have any questions.
Jim Castiglia is the founder of Business Street Fighter Consulting, supporting entrepreneurial business owners as they work to grow and maximize their businesses’ value. Contact Jim at JimC@BSF.consulting or his personal email, jvcastiglia@icloud.com, or text him at 949-338-7141.
