Harmonizing Strategy and Execution: The Foundations of the Symphonic Performance Model
In today’s business landscape, one of the most
significant challenges organizations face is the gap between strategic planning
and effective execution. Many organizations develop robust strategies, only to
struggle with turning those strategies into actionable steps that lead to
meaningful results. Enter the Symphonic Performance Model™, a holistic
framework that harmonizes strategy and execution by creating alignment across
multiple levels of an organization’s ecosystem—individual, work, workplace, and
the broader world.
The Symphonic Performance Model™ introduces a new way to
think about strategy. Instead of viewing strategic planning and execution as
two separate tasks, this model brings them together in a seamless,
science-based approach that encourages continuous growth, collaboration, and
systemic harmony.
The Concept of Symphonic Performance
At its core, the Symphonic Performance Model™ draws
inspiration from the dynamics of musical ensembles. In an orchestra or jazz band, every musician plays a unique
part, but their efforts combine to create a harmonious and cohesive piece of
music. Likewise, the Symphonic Performance Model™ recognizes that in
organizations, individuals, teams, and systems must harmonize their actions to
achieve collective success.
The model places an emphasis on growth and personal
development, encouraging individuals to envision a future where they perform at
their full potential. This vision serves as the guiding score—a blueprint for
action. Leaders, in turn, act as conductors, ensuring that the strategies in
place translate into actionable tasks that align with the organization's goals.
Navigating Complex Ecosystems
Every organization operates within an ecosystem—whether
it's a small team, a community, or a larger system of partnerships and global
interactions. The Symphonic Performance Model™ recognizes that these ecosystems
are complex and interconnected, requiring careful navigation and continuous
adaptation. By intervening at four levels—the individual, work, workplace, and
world—the model provides a holistic framework for leading oneself, managing
daily tasks, and fostering collective well-being through strategic partnerships.
Leading Yourself: The Power of Personal Vision
The first level of the Symphonic Performance Model™
begins with the individual. Leadership is not only about directing others; it
is about leading yourself with intention. This involves crafting a personal
vision—an aspirational image of where you want to be in the future. This vision
provides motivation and direction, guiding the individual’s choices and
actions.
Just as a conductor follows the composer’s score,
individuals must take that vision and translate it into specific strategies.
The process involves refining key skills, setting clear goals, and staying
motivated to pursue one’s full potential. Individuals are encouraged to make
statements like "I know how to," "I can," "I want
to," and "I am" to articulate their capabilities and align their
actions with their vision.
Leading Your Work: Aligning Daily Decisions
The second level of the model focuses on daily tasks and
decision-making. Often referred to as "symphonic strategies," these
decisions are critical in ensuring that day-to-day actions complement one
another and lead to long-term success. Whether you’re managing a project,
overseeing a team, or coordinating complex processes, this framework allows
individuals to stay focused on the bigger picture while managing the
"whirlwind" of daily responsibilities.
This level of intervention helps people understand how
each task, no matter how small, fits into the overall strategy. By aligning
their daily actions with their long-term vision, individuals create an
integrated approach that balances short-term demands with strategic goals.
Leading Others: Creating Collective Action
Effective leadership requires not only the ability to
lead oneself but also the capacity to mobilize others. The Symphonic
Performance Model™ emphasizes the importance of leading within the
workplace—fostering collaboration, building partnerships, and encouraging a
culture of cooperation over competition. The model suggests that teams, much
like orchestras, need to operate with a shared understanding and mutual respect
for each member’s contribution to the collective effort.
Through tailored coaching, training, and performance
reinforcement, the model ensures that leadership remains dynamic, adaptive, and
attuned to the needs of diverse, interconnected groups.
Leading Partnerships and Systems: Fostering Broader
Impact
Finally, the Symphonic Performance Model™ extends beyond
the organizational boundaries to focus on broader systems change. This involves
strategic partnerships and creating synergies between various organizations,
communities, and even nations. Leaders at this level must be adept at
influencing and reshaping broader ecosystems to facilitate symphonic success on
a global scale.
This systems-level focus is particularly important in
today’s interconnected world, where organizations must not only navigate
internal complexities but also engage with external stakeholders and broader
societal systems.
Building Capacity Through Continuous Learning
One of the key features of the Symphonic Performance
Model™ is its emphasis on continuous growth and development. Learning is not
confined to one-off workshops or training sessions; it’s embedded into the
daily flow of work. With tools such as tailored coaching, digital learning
platforms, and ongoing performance reinforcement, the model ensures that
individuals and teams continue to evolve, adapt, and improve.
The continuous reinforcement model provides real-time
insights, allowing employees to make informed decisions and adjust their
actions as circumstances change. Monthly group coaching sessions, live
webinars, and personalized learning journeys help organizations ensure that
their teams remain agile, proactive, and aligned with long-term strategic
goals.
Conclusion: Harmonizing for Success
In today’s fast-paced and complex environment,
organizations need more than just a solid strategy—they need the ability to
execute that strategy seamlessly across all levels. The Symphonic Performance
Model™ provides a unique, holistic approach that integrates personal
development, strategic decision-making, and systems-level change. By fostering
harmony over discord and collaboration over competition, this model helps
individuals, teams, and organizations realize their full potential.
If you’re ready to
harmonize strategy and execution in your organization, we invite you to explore
the Symphonic Performance Model™ further. Contact us to learn more
about how we can help your organization thrive in an increasingly complex
world.
Post by: Symphonic Strategies
Not everyone knows Dr. June Jackson Christmas’s name, but fellow leaders in her field are fully aware of how her contributions made other peoples’ lives better. Dr. Christmas, who passed away on New Year’s Eve at age 99, was a pioneering Black woman psychiatrist and one of the first scholars and practitioners to address the impact of social and economic factors on mental health
She made history early in life as one of the first three students who identified as Black to graduate from Vassar College, where she was in the class of 1945-4. (The few Black students who attended Vassar years earlier had kept their racial identities hidden and “passed” as white while on campus.) After college, like her fellow trailblazing Black classmate Beatrix McCleary Hamburg, Dr. Christmas chose to go to medical school to study psychiatry. Dr. Hamburg became the first Black woman graduate of the Yale School of Medicine and an expert in child psychiatry. Dr. Christmas, who was one of just seven women in her class at Boston University’s School of Medicine, said she originally hoped studying psychiatry might help her teach people not to be racist. It did help her address race and class as she fought to make sure vulnerable populations had better access to care.
Dr. Christmas was a clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, a professor of behavioral science at the City University of New York School of Medicine, a resident professor of mental health policy at the Heller Graduate School of Social Welfare of Brandeis University, the first Black woman president of the American Public Health Association, and an appointed leader who shaped New York City’s mental health care policy. As the New York Times said, Dr. Christmas “broke barriers as a Black woman by heading New York City’s Department of Mental Health and Retardation Services under three mayors . . . As a city commissioner, as chief of rehabilitation services at Harlem Hospital Center, and in her role overseeing the transition of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare to a Democratic administration for President-elect Jimmy Carter, Dr. Christmas ardently advanced her professional agenda.”
The Times continued: “Her priorities included improving mental health services for older people, helping people cope with alcoholism, and assisting children ensnared in the bureaucracies of foster care and the legal system. She also sought to ease the transition of patients from being warehoused in state mental hospitals to living independently . . . In 1964 she founded Harlem Rehabilitation Center, a Harlem Hospital program, which gained a national reputation for providing vocational training and psychiatric help to psychiatric hospital patients who had returned to their communities after being discharged.” This became a model for patient care.
All of this gives a sense of not just what made Dr. Christmas a trailblazing leader, but how she displayed the characteristics of a symphonic leader. Throughout her life she was used to seeing the impossible: possessing a mindset that is free from the constraints imposed by the current reality, even a 13-year-old growing up in Boston who organized a spontaneous sit-in to try to integrate a roller-skating rink in neighboring Cambridge. She brought that mindset to each new role where she seized the opportunity to make advances in patient care. When asked in an interview how she motivated people, Dr. Christmas answered: “Let people know that you are on their side. That you are behind them and you are supportive. I do care that a patient or staff person is able to stand up for himself or herself. When we motivate others we just don’t look at a person. We look at a person and at their environment.” This perspective shows several of the principles of symphonic leadership, and is an example of playing from the soul: the ability to shape situations in ways that align collective action with the protection and advancement of self-interest.
Eric Wilson, the co-chair of Vassar’s African American Alumnae/i organization, gave one more clue about Dr. Christmas’s leadership style with this description: “Dr. Christmas was as regular as they came. Humble, personable, so totally lacking in pretension as to be considered old-school cool, and beyond brilliant.” This hints at a third characteristic of symphonic leaders, moving the crowd: a depth of social grace where social interactions leave people wanting more.
At Symphonic Strategies, we’re always on the lookout for new examples of symphonic leaders to study and share with others. Women’s History Month is a wonderful opportunity to highlight and celebrate great women leaders, but be sure you’re aware of the great leaders around you every day.
Harmonizing Strategy and Execution: The Foundations of the Symphonic Performance Model
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