AVP for Strategy -- Study, Analyze, Plan, Implement, Monitor

| Aug 8, 2012 5:30 PM

Among the business and administrative communities, the word “strategic,” like “vision” and “synergy,” is among the most overused and, consequently, misunderstood terms.  So I’d like to take the chance to articulate as clearly as I can what I expect from Grant Lasson, our new associate vice president for strategy, and what it might mean for the health sciences.  

One of the responsibilities and challenges of all leaders is that of decision making.  We make daily decisions, and we also make major, long-term decisions.  In all cases, the more informed and experienced we are, the better the decisions usually are. The kinds of decisions we’re facing at the health sciences range from, for example, whether and what kinds of health care facilities we should build, to whether and what kind of research programs and facilities to build, to how to enhance our national reputation. 

These kinds of decisions require a strong understanding of the external environment—what health care reform will look like, the priorities of federal funding agencies, or trends in social media and online advertising, for example. They also require an understanding of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and of other forces in our business landscape, such as changes in consumer wishes or in the supply chain. And finally, the issue of resources needed and barriers to success have to be considered.  

In each of these decision areas, data about all of these aspects then need to be integrated and analyzed.  Different options can be considered. Finally, once decisions are made, we need to implement them and communicate effectively about them.  We also need to monitor their success to allow for occasional tweaking, or in the case of failure, to abandon them early where necessary. Grant will provide invaluable skills and insights to guide us through these challenging decision-making processes and to help us collectively do the right thing.