Meaning ● SMB Strategic Dissonance, in the realm of small and medium-sized businesses, refers to the misalignment between a company’s intended strategic direction and its actual operational execution, particularly when implementing growth initiatives or automation projects. In essence, it reflects a divergence between what the SMB aims to achieve and its capacity or preparedness to deliver on those ambitions. ● This misalignment can stem from several factors, including inadequate resource allocation, insufficient employee training, or a lack of clear communication regarding strategic goals. A mismatch between available technology and required skills to implement automation is also a common contributor. ● Consider, for example, an SMB investing in sophisticated CRM software to improve customer relationships, but failing to adequately train its sales team on the platform’s functionality; the CRM investment is less likely to deliver the anticipated improvements, and operational friction may impede further development. ● Therefore, SMB Strategic Dissonance can hinder growth, diminish the returns on automation investments, and ultimately undermine the company’s competitive advantage. The SMB leadership needs to perform strategic alignment by identifying the areas of friction between strategy and execution and put appropriate mitigation strategies in place in an agile manner.
