Strategic theory and records management

There’s a theory of strategy that says that there are only two strategic activities - coalition building, and deception, everything else is tactics.

Deception aside, a coalition is a temporary alliance for combined action - with the goal of achieving more together than either party could on their own.

How anyone goes about forming coalitions depends on what they have to offer - sometimes they're formed with coercive power, sometimes it's the promise of gains neither could make on their own.

Each coalition will get you only so far.

The primary coalition that most of us engage in, is a regulatory one.

Regulators use their coercive power to form a temporary alliance with us that allows them to fulfil their regulatory goals.

The thing we have to recognise about this coalition, is that it's built on coercive power - and so will only go as far as the regulator shows themselves willing to use the coercive power that they have.

With some regulators, that's enough.

When it's not though, records programs need other coalitions.

Coalitions with executives who want to stay off the front page of the paper.

Coalitions with team leaders who want their staff to be able to work efficiently.

Coalitions with middle managers who can see that recordkeeping in one part of their division is hampering effectiveness in another.

Every records coalition borrows the strength of the coalition partner to improve records and help the partner achieve what they want to.

Every coalition will get you only so far.