Why Is It Important to Align Projects to Business Strategy?
To understand the significance of aligning projects with business strategy, we gathered insights from ten professionals, including CEOs, founders, and HR leaders. From efficiently using company resources to reaching goals and using resources, these experts share their perspectives on why it’s crucial to ensure projects are in line with your business strategy.
- Efficient Use of Company Resources
- Enhance Business Agility
- Maximize ROI, Success, and Allocation
- Boost Employee Performance
- Prioritize and Reduce Expenses
- Promote Growth and Consistency
- Increase Project Success Rate
- Secure Long-Term Success
- Achieve Desired Outcomes
- Reach Goals and Use Resources
Efficient Use of Company Resources
Aligning the project with the business strategy allows for the efficient use of company resources. Companies have limited resources—people, money, and time are not never-ending. Aligning projects with business strategy allows the company to select projects that are most important to the company while efficiently using available resources.
Natalia Brzezinska
Marketing and Outreach Manager, ePassportPhoto
Enhance Business Agility
Projects that align with the overall business strategy allow the business in question to be flexible and more adaptable to changes in the industry and economy at large. This enhanced agility is the key ingredient for business success in an ever-changing business environment.
Liam Liu
Co-founder and CMO, ParcelPanel
Maximize ROI, Success, and Allocation
There are three reasons aligning projects to business strategy is important.
Maximize ROI: Aligning projects to a business strategy can significantly increase the return on investment for a business. PwC found companies achieve an average of 30% greater return on investment (ROI) than those that do not align their projects with strategic objectives.
Improve Project Success Rate: Projects that are aligned with business strategy are more likely to be successful. A recent study from McKinsey found that project portfolios that align with a company’s strategic priorities have a 70% success rate, compared to just 61% for those that do not.
Better resource allocation: When projects align with an organization’s strategy, resources can be allocated more efficiently. The organization can focus on projects that are more likely to achieve strategic objectives, so resources are not wasted on projects that do not support the organization’s goals.
Will Strickland
CPA and MBA, Consulting Company
Boost Employee Performance
If you have a business strategy and long-term goals in place, it’s always ideal to align your projects with them. Assuming you’re relying on your strategy to meet these goals, every step that is on the same path can be a step forward for you as a business. Employees are likely being trained with certain skills and a mindset that is toward your business strategy. So when the projects you take on are in alignment, it’s likely that your workforce will be more equipped to knock it out of the park and execute it to perfection.
Harry Morton
Founder, Lower Street
Prioritize and Reduce Expenses
By aligning projects with business strategies, each company can focus on prioritization, saving time and effort for more important company matters. Especially in times of recession, as we are currently experiencing, we are all aware of how important it is to reduce expenses, and eliminating projects with low potential reduces expenses. The alignment of projects to business strategies leads to aligning efforts and finances to the needs of the company.
Marco Genaro Palma
Co-founder, TechNews180
Promote Growth and Consistency
Aligning projects to the business strategy is critical for an organization’s growth. This is because it allows business heads or senior stakeholders to stay focused on long-term objectives. One of the biggest advantages of having a simple strategy allows your organization to stay on track. Having a well-defined strategy makes it easier to measure progress and know when certain actions are necessary. By tying projects to the overall strategy, businesses can identify which initiatives will lead them closer to their goal while also helping them make better use of resources. Strategic alignment also helps maintain consistency throughout the organization and ensures that all team members are working towards the same goals.
Harman Singh
Director, Cyphere
Increase Project Success Rate
Projects that are aligned with strategic goals may have a success rate that is three times higher. There is little incentive to invest money and energy in endeavors that will only cause loss. A corporation can ensure that everything it does is for a defined purpose by aligning its organizational strategy with project work; this is extremely important given how volatile and competitive the market is today.
Alex Constantinou
Managing Director, The Fitness Circle
Secure Long-Term Success
If you want to have a project that goes the distance and becomes something more than a one-off, you’re going to want to ensure it adheres to the general business strategy of your company. The reason for this is simple—if it doesn’t, you are most likely not going to get access to the resources, executive attention, and long-term prioritization that you’ll need to give it a chance at long-term success. Unless, of course, it proves so wildly successful that it reshapes your business strategy—so if you’re feeling optimistic, you can always play those odds.
Onno Halsema
CEO, Contentoo
Achieve Desired Outcomes
Aligning projects to business strategy is a key factor in the success of any organization. By connecting projects to the organizational goals and objectives, organizations can ensure that investments of time and resources are focused on activities that will have the greatest impact on achieving desired outcomes.
By tying projects to strategic objectives, organizations can better manage their workloads and resources, and ensure that their projects are meeting the desired goals on time and within budget.
Leo Vaisburg
Managing Partner, Amazon Suspension Lawyer
Reach Goals and Use Resources
Aligning projects to business strategy is crucial for ensuring that a company achieves its overall goals and objectives. This means that projects are more likely to deliver the expected outcomes and contribute to the organization’s long-term success.
Business strategy provides the blueprint for a company’s success, outlining the direction and focus of the organization, as well as the key performance indicators that will measure progress. By aligning projects to this strategy, companies can ensure that their resources are being used in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Daria Globchak
HR Leader, Elai.io
Submit Your Answer
Would you like to submit an alternate answer to the question, “Why is it important to align projects to business strategy?”