Why are companies failing to implement a Blue Ocean strategy? They lack a fair process
- Martin Hurych
- 17. 3.
- Minut čtení: 3
You can have a perfect plan, charts, graphs and novel ideas. But if you don't have a passionate team on board, everything will remain paper. Because Blue Ocean Strategy isn't just about strategy - it's about people. And people need to feel like they're part of it. Otherwise, you can set yourself up for resistance, passivity, or silent sabotage of change.
To ensure that the adoption of a blue ocean strategy goes smoothly in every company, Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne created a concept they called the fair process. The fair process is the key to engaging people, gaining their trust, and making them allies rather than obstacles to the Blue Ocean strategy. When employees-whether accountants, technicians, managers, stakeholders, or board members-believe their voice is heard, they are much more willing to collaborate and be proactive.
Be fair to them. From the first step. What to consult with them and how much to involve them?
Further in the article:
The most common mistake when implementing corporate change
If you can get people in the company involved, they will pull together with you. Imagine two companies. Both decide to make a radical change.
Company A: Management shuts itself in a boardroom, devises a new strategy and simply "communicates" it to employees. The result? Reluctance, passive resistance,
talking in the kitchen over coffee about how nonsensical it all is.
Company B: From the beginning, it gives people space - explains, listens, sets clear rules of the game. The result? People understand why the change is happening, feel part of the process and come up with their own suggestions on how to implement the change most effectively.
Which company do you want to be?
A fair process is based on three principles
Fair process is not just a "nice theory" - it's a proven approach that helps companies manage change without chaos and resistance. When people see that they are part of the decision-making process, have clear information and know what is expected of them, they naturally engage and become active supporters of change instead of passive adopters.
Fairness in communication and decision-making is thus not just a moral value, but a key factor for successful strategy implementation.
A fair process is based on three basic principles: engagement, explanation and clear expectations. Let's look at these in more detail...
Involve employees in strategic decisions
People must not just be passive spectators. Involve them in strategic decisions that affect them. Give them the space to express their opinion, ask questions and influence future developments.
Ask them for feedback and discuss. The result is not only better ideas, but also greater commitment from everyone involved in their implementation.
Explain the context
It's not just about announcing a change. You need to give people the context to understand your new strategy. Clear explanations help build trust, and if employees know that decisions were made with the company's overall interests in mind, they are more likely to support the new strategy.
Set clear expectations
Define the rules of the game. What changes? What do you expect from people? What will success look like? People need to know up front what is expected of them, by what standards their work will be evaluated, and what the consequences will be if they don't meet your expectations. This avoids speculation and allows employees to focus on results.
Why is fair process a game-changer?
Instead of resistance, you get support. People stop feeling that they are being pushed into something they don't want.
Your key people will stay. In turbulent change, often the best people leave. A fair approach will help you keep them.
Innovation will increase. When people know their opinion , they are not afraid come up with their own ideas.
You will speed up the implementation of changes. Without a fair process, it takes longer to implement because you're always dealing with "why are we doing this".
When you follow all three principles of fair process, you take your company culture to the next level. You'll raise trust between management and employees. Instead of
A top-down approach, where decisions are presented without discussion, creates a culture of open communication and cooperation.
How to successfully implement a Blue Ocean strategy
Adopting a Blue Ocean strategy often requires major changes - and big changes hurt. Resistance, uncertainty and fear for one's position. These are natural enough emotions. Be fair, it's the only way to minimize these fears, avoid chaos and passive resistance.
A fair process will help you create an environment where change is not a threat but an opportunity. If you're interested in specific steps to get started, let me know.
Together we will find a way that works for your company.