Palladium's 2014 Global State of Strategy and Leadership Survey Unveils Significant Opportunities for Improvement in the Realm of Strategy Execution

BOSTON, Oct. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Palladium Group, Inc., the world's preeminent consulting firm helping organizations successfully address and solve strategy execution challenges, announced today the results of its bi-annual 2014 Global State of Strategy and Leadership Survey. This survey, which drew nearly 1,300 responses from senior executives from 74 countries across the globe, is available for download here.

Palladium's survey revealed an astounding trend: the vast majority of organizations remain unresponsive to business environment changes despite being acutely aware of their potential disruptive impact. Perhaps indicative of the lack of expertise in strategy execution, only nine percent of participants believe they have the ability to fully optimize their strategic initiatives and 62 percent think their inability to manage change or overcome internal resistance to change is a significant issue within their organization.

John McClellan, Palladium's chief executive officer, said, "While organizations are acutely aware of what is required to sustain growth in this competitive market, more than 75 percent are failing to invest sufficient resources into strategy execution. Strikingly, based on Palladium research, there's a direct and undeniable correlation between strategy execution and improved financial results: organizations that do invest in strategy execution are 18 times more likely to achieve financial goals as compared to those that do not."

Some additional key findings of Palladium's 2014 Global State of Strategy and Leadership Survey include:

• 72 percent agreed that "our business model will be under threat in the next five years;"
• 61 percent indicated that their business model is under threat currently; and
• 75 percent of participants believe their value proposition is being increasingly challenged by new and emerging players in the market. 

Not surprisingly, 82 percent of total participants concurred with the statement "changes in the environment for our business markets are intense."

Matt Tice, managing director of Palladium's APAC region and editorial director of the survey, said, "A key conclusion from our survey is that organizations know what they need to do to take advantage of the changing marketplace, but very few are actually doing it. Despite rapid changes in their markets, only 14 percent of organizations are constantly reviewing their strategy, down from 30 percent in 2009. Because those that carefully manage their strategy in response to change are seven times more likely to achieve their financial goals, this downturn in attention to strategy portends poorly for many companies."

Other notable findings of the 2014 Global State of Strategy and Leadership Survey include:

• 96 percent of responses revealed that strategic leadership is fundamental to an organization's successful execution of strategy;
• 51 percent of organizations think their strategic leadership is unsatisfactory;
• 67 percent of board members, CEOs, and managing directors think their existing leadership development is not providing their leaders with the skills they need to execute strategy; and
• Those that align their leadership development program to their execution needs are 22 times more likely to achieve breakthrough financial success.

Results of the Survey will be discussed at Palladium's Global Summit in the fall, the most prestigious event for CEOs, chief strategy officers and other senior strategy execution executives. Information on the Summit can be found here: http://globalsummit.thepalladiumgroup.com/

Media inquiries seeking interviews with the authors of Palladium's 2014 Global State of Strategy and Leadership Survey should contact Andrew Dod (contact info below) or if in APAC, Christina Robinson at [email protected], or if in EMEA, Andreea Maria Derta at [email protected].

About Palladium Group, Inc.
Palladium is the global leader in helping organizations solve pressing strategy execution challenges. We are dedicated to understanding and addressing the strategic issues that drive successful results. Founded by Dr. Robert S. Kaplan and Dr. David P. Norton, we help clients achieve superior performance through a set of integrated consulting services. We deliver tangible results, building enduring internal capabilities with supporting technologies and education programs. Our approach combines expertise in proven strategy execution with integrated change management and leadership development programs. Our methods include the Execution Premium Process™ (XPP™), the Kaplan-Norton Balanced Scorecard™, and other best-practice frameworks that translate concepts into programs that deliver measurable results. The benefits of our approach are demonstrated in the Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame for Executing Strategy®, which recognizes organizations that improve performance through outstanding execution. Our offices located throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific enjoy a successful track record with over 700 clients. www.thePalladiumGroup.com

SOURCE Palladium Group, Inc.