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2.1 Strategy Deployment: The Mission Model

We do not use abstract corporate goals. We operate in Missions. A Mission is a specific, time-bound operation with a binary outcome. It is either Accomplished or Failed.

The Rolling 6-Month Radar

We cannot predict the year, but we can see the next two quarters.

  • Active Quarter (Q1): Locked. The orders are cut. No changes allowed unless the factory burns down.
  • Next Quarter (Q2): Staging. We are gathering resources and defining targets.
  • Beyond (Q3+): Fog of War. We have a direction (Vision), but no specific plans yet.

The Mission Structure

Every major initiative must fit on a single "Mission Card." If it takes 10 pages to explain, it's not a strategy; it's a fantasy.

1. The Target (The "What")

  • Rule: Must be physical or digital reality. No feelings.
  • Bad: "Improve manufacturing culture." (Vague, buzzword).
  • Good: "Reduce SMT Line Changeover time to < 20 minutes." (Measurable, binary).

2. The Commander (The "Who")

  • Rule: One name. Not a department, not a committee.
  • Responsibility: The Commander has full authority to make decisions to hit the target. They also bear full responsibility if it fails.

3. The Deadline (The "When")

  • Rule: A specific date. "Q3" is not a date. "September 30th" is a date.

4. The Kill Criteria (The "Stop")

  • Rule: Define upfront when we abort the mission.
  • Example: "If the prototype cost exceeds $500, kill the project immediately." This prevents "Zombie Projects" that burn cash forever.

The "War Room" Rhythm

We replace status meetings with Blocker Clearing Sessions.

Weekly Sync (30 Minutes Max):

The Mission Commander answers three questions only:

  1. Status: On Track / Off Track.
  2. Blocker: "I am waiting for [X]."
  3. Ask: "I need [Y] resource to fix it."

The Leader's Job:

Leadership does not micromanage the how. Leadership exists to remove the Blocker.

  • Commander: "I can't hit the deadline because Procurement is slow."
  • Leader: "I will call Procurement today. Consider it unblocked."

The "One In, One Out" Law

Capacity is finite. You cannot add a Mission without removing one.

  • The Scenario: A client demands a new urgent project mid-quarter.
  • The Action: We pause an existing Mission. We do not ask teams to do "110%." That creates 10% defects.
  • The Decision: "To start Project X, we are pausing the ERP Upgrade. Agreed?"

Final Checklist

Component

Requirement

Control

Mission Name

Clear, aggressive title

CEO Approval

Commander

Single Individual (DRI)

Assigned in Project Tool

Target

Binary (Done/Not Done)

Verified by Data

Update Cycle

Weekly

Blockers Only

Change Control

One In, One Out

Leadership Vote

Review

Quarterly

Mission Accomplished / Failed