M1A3 Capstone

Page 1 of 2 Capstone Experience in Integration & Strategy

©2012 Argosy University Online Programs

Interview: Carolynn Larson-Garcia

Interviewer: I’d like to welcome Carolynn Larson-Garcia, President, of Aegis Electronic Group, Incorporated. Thank you for accepting our invitation for this interview, Carolynn.

C. Larson-Garcia: Thank you it’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to take part in this prestigious program at Argosy.

Interviewer: We’d like your professional perspective regarding the preparing for and undertaking of a strategic audit to improve a company’s performance. One of the first questions that come to mind is:

When an organization is preparing to undertake a strategic audit to enhance the company’s performance, what do you recommend as the initial steps?

C. Larson-Garcia: A strategic audit measures the company’s performance against the management strategy. The first indicators are to look at in a general sense: “what is working” and “what isn’t working.” Again, in a general sense, a checklist of items.

An example could be: The strategy for our sales department is X with our goals being Y and we are working that strategy and we performing to Z level. Um, this kind of assessment would go business segment by business segment measuring the company’s performance or business statements performance to the strategy.

The most important part of this is objectivity.

Interviewer: And how have you approached this in your current and prior organizations?

C. Larson-Garcia: We approach the preparation for a strategic audit following the same initial steps I just mentioned. It is helpful in practice, not just on paper.

Interviewer: And what do you find as the biggest challenges? How have you overcome these?

C. Larson-Garcia: Once you do the audit and come up with the initial ideas for the plan, the need for buy-in from other team members is essential, and often challenging, depending on the vision and the steps to achieve that vision.

Interviewer: And how did you guide the process to achieve the best possible results?

C. Larson-Garcia: Having a well-developed vision and the supporting data to create buy-in along the way is key.

Interviewer: And what advice do you have for companies when undertaking a strategic audit?

C. Larson-Garcia: My recommendation for other business professionals considering a strategic audit is to allocate the time for the analysis. Make sure you are getting accurate data, make sure you’re considering as many possible outcomes as possible.

I have found that the cause and effect of changes are sometimes not as apparent as one might think. You have to consider the obvious while looking for the elements that

Page 2 of 2 Capstone Experience in Integration & Strategy

©2012 Argosy University Online Programs

2 Interview: Carolynn Larson-Garcia

aren’t so obvious. It’s usually not the big bold items that help or hurt the company, it’s the little things that can strike the Achilles’ heel of a company and or be the crowning jewel.

Interviewer: How have you ensured that the strategic audits lead to a plan that’s executable and will achieve results?

C. Larson-Garcia: The audit in and of itself does not lead totally to the development of the business plan, but plays a strategic role in the analysis of where the company has been and what opportunities might be present to capitalize on in the new plan. The application of SWOT and the five forces model will help you to identify the keys to an executable plan.

Interviewer: These are all excellent points about strategic audits. Carolynn. Thank you again for your time today.

C. Larson-Garcia: Thank you so much.