Understanding Catchball in Strategy Deployment
What is Catchball? Catchball is a collaborative process where strategic goals are passed between different levels of an organization to ensure alignment and commitment.
The Catchball Process
Step 1: Top-Level Strategy
Senior leadership develops initial strategic objectives and targets.
Step 2: Cascading Down
Objectives are shared with the next level of management for feedback and refinement.
- Teams review objectives
- Provide feedback on feasibility
- Suggest improvements
Step 3: Bottom-Up Response
Teams develop their own tactical plans and targets to support the strategic objectives.
- Review strategic objectives
- Develop local action plans
- Set measurable targets
- Identify resource needs
Step 4: Iteration and Agreement
The process continues until alignment is achieved across all levels.
Best Practices
Do's
- Encourage open dialogue
- Document discussions
- Set clear timelines
Don'ts
- Rush the process
- Ignore feedback
- Skip levels

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