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Why Speed is Critical for Success
The view of speed as a strategic asset is reinforced and confirmed in an article (“Fast Execution Needs Fast Strategy”) published by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The article emphasizes the importance of speed in decision-making and stresses that companies that can combine speed with long-term strategy not only adapt better to changes but can also capitalize on them to gain market share and create sustainable competitive advantages.
Speed is not just about acting quickly for the sake of speed. It’s about understanding which decisions require immediate action and which may need a longer time horizon. Companies that master this balance can adjust to constant market changes while preserving their strategic direction. Time and again, we see that companies that can flexibly and agilely respond to shifting consumer preferences, new technologies, and unexpected market changes are also those that succeed in outperforming their competitors.
However, it is important to note that speed does not mean constantly rushing into rapid change without thought. Rather, it’s about creating structures that enable swift adaptation and ensuring that the entire organization is equipped to act when needed. This means decentralizing decision-making, setting clear goals, and having a strongly anchored vision. In our collaborations at Navigator, we’ve observed that when the entire organization understands the company’s purpose and long-term goals, each employee can make quicker, more informed decisions in their daily work—accelerating the company’s overall capacity to respond to change.
Creating Conditions for Speed
So, how do you build an organization with strategic and operational speed embedded in its DNA? There are a few fundamental factors that are crucial to achieving this.
1. An Anchored Purpose and Clear Vision
When companies have a clear vision and a purpose that the entire organization can support, decision-making processes become much faster. With a strong strategic direction as the foundation, employees can act more independently, ensuring that every decision contributes to the larger goal. This eliminates unnecessary detours and reduces the time it takes for information to travel up and down through the hierarchy.
2. Decentralized Decision-Making
Speed isn’t just about top management acting at lightning speed. In fact, it’s the opposite. Speed requires moving decision-making closer to where things are actually happening. By decentralizing decision processes and allowing employees on the ground to make quick, informed decisions, bottlenecks in the organization are reduced. When we at Navigator have helped clients implement this, we’ve seen a marked increase in their ability to act proactively rather than reactively, while aligning with the overall goals.
3. Cultural Focus on Adaptation and Learning
To truly benefit from speed, you also need a corporate culture that values flexibility and adaptation. It’s about fostering a mindset where it’s natural not to fear trying new ideas, learning from them, and adapting further. Digital transformation has provided tools that make this possible, but without the right culture, these initiatives risk falling flat. With the right attitude, companies can move faster and more smoothly, always in pursuit of improvement.
4. Data and Technology as Drivers of Speed
Digital technology and data-driven insights have become a necessity for any company wanting to be fast. Tools for automation and analysis enable quicker and more precise decisions, while reducing the time it takes to act on new information. At Navigator, we’ve seen how investments in these technologies have made clients more flexible and responsive to changes in the world. With automation, we remove manual tasks, allowing employees to prioritize other work beyond “boring administration,” such as being close to the customer.
Speed as a Sustainable Strategy
A common misconception is that speed equates to short-term thinking, or that it conflicts with long-term strategic planning. However, the reality is that companies that master speed are also the ones that succeed best with their long-term goals. It’s not an either/or scenario—the most successful organizations can adapt to real-time changes while maintaining focus on their long-term visions. The key lies in the ability to shift between different timeframes without losing direction.
Strategic sharpness and operational agility. The companies that will survive and thrive in a constantly changing future are those that can combine these two elements, creating an organization that can make faster decisions, learn faster, and act faster than their competitors.
Summary – Four Keys to Achieving Speed:
1. Clear Purpose and Vision – Speed is anchored in a strong strategic direction that the entire organization understands and works toward.
2. Decentralized Decision Making – Let decisions be made where actions occur to reduce bottlenecks and increase flexibility.
3. Cultural Adaptability – Foster a culture that encourages speed, learning, and continuous improvement.
4. Leverage Digital Technology – Use technology and data to enable faster and more informed decisions.
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