One of the key elements of strategic leadership is management of execution of the creatively thought through plan.

I don’t think that it is possible to manage the execution of a strategic plan without measuring the results of implementing the plan. If the definition of a strategic plan is that it makes most effective progress towards accomplishing the vision, then it is not possible to execute it without measuring:

1. the status of achievement of the vision before the strategic plan is executed, and
2. the status of achievement of the vision after the strategic plan is executed.

This in turn means that the status of achievement of the vision needs to be measured, and the key success criteria for completion of the execution of the plan must be in terms of improvement of status of achievement of the vision.

To use Sean Covey and Chris McChesney’s language, the overarching lag measurement of a strategic plan is the increase in progress towards achieving the vision.

Therefore, management of execution of strategic plans can only be accomplished if the vision towards which the plan makes progress is measured and tracked throughout the plan’s implementation.

How do you measure your vision, and how do you track your progress towards vision?