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<h3>Strategy Execution by Design Series Wrap up of Lever 1: Leadership &amp; Trust</h3>After close to 20 years designing and executing business strategy, I am still surprised at how much of the literature (professional and academic) focuses on formulation rather than execution, even though execution is where success or failure is decided.This gap became the 'why' for my eMBA research, where I explored with executives of large New Zealand-based organisations the elements that enable effective strategy execution. What did I discover? Successful execution follows identifiable patterns. While every organisation is unique, there are specific levers that consistently drive results, and it's not what most organisations focus on.My research with executives revealed the elements that separate successful execution from failure. Over the past few weeks, I've shared insights on Lever 1 of my Execution by Design model: Leadership &amp; Trust, examining why trust, psychological safety, and leadership behaviours form the foundation of effective execution - check out my wrap up article attached.Execution isn't about plans or dashboards. It starts with people.When senior teams lack cohesion and confidence in one another, projects stall, priorities fragment, and energy shifts to self-protection. High-trust teams, by contrast, move faster, take on bolder goals, and adapt with resilience. Execution begins with how leaders show up with each other. Without trust, courage, cohesion, and voice at the top, execution fragments before it reaches the frontline.Leadership and trust create the foundation, but strategies still fail when teams can't answer four critical questions:&nbsp; - Where are we going?&nbsp; - Why does it matter?&nbsp; - How will we get there, and how will we know we have been successful? - What does it mean for me? Which leads me to Lever 2: Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment - stay tuned.You can access the full Lever 1 wrap up here: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lever-1-leadership-trust-foundation-strategy-execution-rebecca-reti-rg87c" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lever-1-leadership-trust-foundation-strategy-execution-rebecca-reti-rg87c">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lever-1-leadership-trust-foundation-strategy-execution-rebecca-reti-rg87c</a>&nbsp;<figure id="figure-mo4zgwarjmi3wl1k7"><img id="mo4zgwarjmi3wl1k7" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/30rSPxF5MejQXCD3U5Tk4VwZVXgP1lWo0d068jLtiRhf6FlTjZDnrPVS9YPGXCV2.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/30rSPxF5MejQXCD3U5Tk4VwZVXgP1lWo0d068jLtiRhf6FlTjZDnrPVS9YPGXCV2.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>

Wrap up of Lever 1: Leadership & Trust

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Lever 1: Trust &amp; Leadership Element 5: Relational Engagement</h3>When was the last time a project in your organisation stalled, not because of the plan, but because people couldn't work together?When strategy slows, we usually look at poor planning, unclear priorities, or a lack of resources first. Yes, those things definitely matter. But here's what I keep seeing: execution often comes down to something much simpler - how well people actually relate to each other.Projects get stuck because two leaders have stopped talking. Decisions sit in limbo because departments are guarding their territory. Work crawls along not because people aren't trying, but because they're not really connecting.&nbsp;Execution travels at the speed of relationships.Strong relationships don't just happen on their own - they grow from the trust and psychological safety I talked about in my last post. I'm not talking about being best friends with your colleagues. I mean the kind of trust, openness, and mutual reliance that determines how fast people share information, tackle problems together, and actually get decisions made.Cross &amp; Parker's research into organisational networks reveals an interesting finding: high performers aren't just technically sound, they're well connected across the organisation. Cândido &amp; Santos found that collaboration and relational trust matter just as much as having good processes and structure.&nbsp;When I dug into this in my own research, execution effectiveness took a nosedive wherever relationships were siloed or tense. Leaders kept telling me about cross-functional friction, unnecessary escalations, and delays stemming from weak connections rather than weak plans.Here's the thing though: relationships don't just "happen" - leaders set the tone. When leaders hunker down in their own areas, everyone else does too. When leaders demonstrate trust, remain open, and effectively manage conflict, it strengthens the entire network around them.So, what can leaders actually do differently today? - Show the kind of cross-functional connections you want others to build. - Take a look at your network - who do you depend on most, and who's depending on you? - Push for peer-to-peer collaboration and celebrate team wins, not just individual achievements. - Deal with conflict early - letting it sit makes things worse. - Create room for actual human connection - shared meals, regular check-ins, those informal moments where trust actually builds.Because execution doesn't move at the pace of your project plan. It moves at the pace of your relationships, which is really what Leadership &amp; Trust in my Execution by Design series is all about.<figure id="figure-ku9oy16b89mi3we35b"><img id="ku9oy16b89mi3we35b" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/843530348/photo/happy-to-have-you-on-the-team.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=QlL9oTC3UxECIrGv7OpWbKV92bym0bstREju5FZkZyk=" alt="Happy to have you on the team" title="Happy to have you on the team" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/843530348/photo/happy-to-have-you-on-the-team.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=QlL9oTC3UxECIrGv7OpWbKV92bym0bstREju5FZkZyk=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Engage with this post on LinkedIn:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-changeleadership-activity-7374245799448391680-1jAG?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-changeleadership-activity-7374245799448391680-1jAG?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-changeleadership-activity-7374245799448391680-1jAG?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs</a>&nbsp;

Relational Engagement

Full team of warehouse employees standing in warehouse. Team of workers, managers, female director and worker with down syndrome in modern industrial factory, heavy industry, manufactrury.

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Lever 1: Trust &amp; Leadership Element 4: Trust &amp; Psychological Safety in the Leadership Team</h3>Have you ever sat in a room where everyone knew something wasn’t right, yet nobody dared to say it?&nbsp;I have. While living in NZ, I was coaching a leadership team when a question about their plan’s realism fell like a lead balloon. You could feel the discomfort. Afterwards, I learned several executives had the same concern, but no one wanted to be the first to speak.That moment wasn’t unusual. I’ve seen it in many executive teams: when people don’t feel safe to challenge each other, silence fills the gaps. And silence at the top is deadly for execution.My master’s research confirmed what I’ve seen in practice: trust and candour in the top team are the single biggest factors enabling execution. Without them, collaboration breaks down, risks stay hidden and momentum stalls. With them, alignment deepens, issues are tackled openly, and progress accelerates.Trust is confidence in your peers’ intentions. Stephen Covey calls it “the speed of execution,” because when it’s high, everything moves faster. Psychological safety, as Amy Edmondson defines it, is the belief you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up. They’re not the same, but they’re inseparable: trust lets you take risks together; psychological safety lets you surface the risks in the first place.What erodes both? Suspicion, avoidance, and leaders prioritising their own interests over the collective. When that happens, plans get rubber-stamped, hard conversations don’t happen, and execution fragments instantly.So, what can leaders do differently? - Normalise healthy challenge in your executive team - make it expected, not avoided. - Ask the question no one else is asking, to show it’s safe to do so. - Admit mistakes openly, and notice how quickly others follow. - Notice where you default to suspicion and replace it with curiosity. - Build your self-awareness: know your triggers and work with them. - Invest time in getting to know your peers beyond their role. - Be kind - see each other as humans first, leaders second.Execution doesn’t just depend on plans and processes - it depends on trust and psychological safety. They’re the hidden accelerators that let leaders speak up, learn fast, and act boldly. Without them, even the sharpest strategy stays on paper.<figure id="figure-m651cozhunmi3w47oe"><img id="m651cozhunmi3w47oe" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1967730377/photo/full-team-of-warehouse-employees-standing-in-warehouse-team-of-workers-managers-female.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=Vl4Ffiw_DddV_1SE48ZI91juJgGUwvvjOCRQDGs2o0I=" alt="Full team of warehouse employees standing in warehouse. Team of workers, managers, female director and worker with down syndrome in modern industrial factory, heavy industry, manufactrury." title="Full team of warehouse employees standing in warehouse. Team of workers, managers, female director and worker with down syndrome in modern industrial factory, heavy industry, manufactrury." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1967730377/photo/full-team-of-warehouse-employees-standing-in-warehouse-team-of-workers-managers-female.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=Vl4Ffiw_DddV_1SE48ZI91juJgGUwvvjOCRQDGs2o0I=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Engage with this post on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadershipdevelopment-activity-7373521030805598208-1QPa?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadershipdevelopment-activity-7373521030805598208-1QPa?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadershipdevelopment-activity-7373521030805598208-1QPa?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs</a>&nbsp;

Trust and Psychological Safety in the Leadership Team

Interview and round table discussion at business convention and presentation. Audience at the conference hall. Business and entrepreneurship symposium

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Lever 1: Trust &amp; Leadership Element 3: Leadership Learning</h3>What happens when as leaders, we stop learning?I’ve seen it firsthand: a senior leader convinced their past experience was enough. They dismissed feedback, resisted new ideas, and relied on what had worked a decade earlier. Slowly, their team stopped sharing fresh thinking. People felt unheard, execution slowed, and morale drained away. The strategy hadn’t failed; leadership had.Learning isn’t a luxury for leaders. It’s a necessity.When leaders stop growing, inconsistency creeps in - saying one thing in the room but failing to follow through outside it. Kouzes and Posner call credibility “doing what you say you will do,” but sustaining that credibility takes reflection and growth. Carol Dweck’s work on growth mindset reinforces this: leaders who stay curious and admit they don’t have all the answers build cultures that adapt and perform. Those who cling to certainty lose credibility and create environments that play it safe.Look at Satya Nadella’s shift at Microsoft: he moved the company from a “know-it-all” to a “learn-it-all” culture. That change reignited collaboration and innovation - and transformed execution.I’ve felt the same lesson personally. In my late 30s, I chose to complete my eMBA. It wasn’t easy, but it reshaped the way I think and lead. More importantly, it reminded me that vulnerability - admitting you don’t know it all - is where leadership strength really comes from.Learning doesn’t have to mean taking years out to study. It can be as simple as asking better questions in meetings, seeking out coaching, reading broadly, or even reverse mentoring from people earlier in their careers.The challenge, of course, is time. Leaders are busy, and it’s tempting to default to delivery over development. But even five minutes of reflection at the end of a day, or carving out space to debrief decisions, builds the habit of learning without slowing execution.In leadership roles, people often expect you to have the answers. But you’re human, and showing that is not a weakness. It’s an invitation. By admitting what you don’t know, you create space for your team to contribute, shine, and grow. That’s not letting go of authority; it’s using it to empower others.When leaders stay open, humble, and curious, they create teams that do the same. And those teams are the ones that adapt, align, and deliver strategy with pace and purpose.So what can leaders do differently today? - Ask yourself: where am I still learning? Where have I gone stagnant? - Share your growth edges openly - it permits others to do the same. - Replace “I know” with “I’m curious.”This is why growth and vulnerability matter in execution and are central to Lever 1: Leadership Cohesion &amp; Trust in my Execution by Design series.<figure id="figure-jq6t5l18dfmi3vynwa" class=""><img id="jq6t5l18dfmi3vynwa" class="bg-gray-100 object-cover" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></figure>Engage with this post on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadershipdevelopment-activity-7371331580700835840-o-KI?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadershipdevelopment-activity-7371331580700835840-o-KI?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadershipdevelopment-activity-7371331580700835840-o-KI?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs</a>&nbsp;

Leadership Learning

From Below Group of Children Stacking Hands

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Lever 1: Trust &amp; Leadership Element 2: Active Leadership in the moment</h3>Delivery of strategy often fails in small moments; what role does leadership play?I've worked with executives who can deliver an inspiring speech at a strategy roadshow - clear, confident, and energising, which is a critical skill on its own. However, when it comes to the meeting where priorities blur, the performance conversation that never happens, or the decision pushed down the line, this is where the gap between words and actions opens up.And people notice. Quickly.When leaders aren’t present in those everyday moments, delivery of a strategy starts to unravel. Teams lose confidence, behaviours drift, and culture slides back to the path of least resistance.Kouzes and Posner call this the essence of leadership credibility: people believe you when they see you follow through. John Kotter found the same - transformation stalls when leaders fail to sustain visible action. In my own master’s research, leaders described how inconsistency at the top fragmented execution. Nods of agreement in the room, but very different interpretations once people walked out the door.So why don’t leaders always step in? Often it’s fear of conflict, pressure to “keep things moving, low self confidence or the level of demand - being stretched so thin they default to silence. But leaving things unsaid doesn’t make them go away - it just signals inconsistency, and people fill the gap with their own interpretations.I learned this lesson personally. Earlier in my career, I avoided a tough performance conversation with a team member whose work wasn’t hitting the mark. I told myself I was protecting the relationship, but really, I was afraid of a conversation I’d never had to have. What I was doing was eroding trust with the rest of the team, who could see the gap but also saw me doing nothing. When I finally had the conversation, respectfully but directly, the shift was immediate. The team leaned back in because they saw I was prepared to act, not just talk.Execution doesn’t live in off-site decks or keynote speeches. It lives in how leaders show up in the everyday: modelling the behaviours they expect.&nbsp;So what can leaders do differently today? - Notice behaviours that misalign with the strategy and call them in, respectfully. - Ask yourself where you can show up visibly this week to model execution. - Ask execution-focused questions, e.g., “What’s blocking progress?” or “How does this support our priority?” - Close the loop: when someone raises an issue, follow up and show what was done.Because executing strategy is fragile in the absence of leadership. It either breaks in the small moments - or comes alive through them.This is why active leadership in the moment is central to Lever 1: Leadership Cohesion &amp; Trust in my Execution by Design series.<figure id="figure-xp34ulfrokmi3w0nd0"><img id="xp34ulfrokmi3w0nd0" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2194759298/photo/from-below-group-of-children-stacking-hands.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=jjPPzc4dmiboyHPXFRspof8BxO3oZaVF173pJXF9m6k=" alt="From Below Group of Children Stacking Hands" title="From Below Group of Children Stacking Hands" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2194759298/photo/from-below-group-of-children-stacking-hands.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=jjPPzc4dmiboyHPXFRspof8BxO3oZaVF173pJXF9m6k=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Engage with this post on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-changeleadership-activity-7370606810241695744-Ja-N?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-changeleadership-activity-7370606810241695744-Ja-N?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-changeleadership-activity-7370606810241695744-Ja-N?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs</a>&nbsp;

Active leadership in the moment

A diverse group of professionals in a modern office celebrates success with a high-five

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Lever 1: Trust &amp; Leadership Element 1: First Team</h3>“Whose team are you really on?”I asked that question to a group of senior leaders and they looked puzzled. One finally said, “My team? Thats my direct reports.”And there it was.....The truth is, I see this all the time. Leaders who instinctively look down to their second team, not across to their peers. The executive table becomes a collection of portfolios, not a leadership team. Sounds harmless? It isn’t.Here’s what happens when peers aren’t your first team: &nbsp;- Decisions get made in silos, and strategy turns into horse-trading. &nbsp;- Everyone optimises for their patch instead of the whole business. &nbsp;- Consistency slips, execution fragments, and trust quietly erodes. &nbsp;- There is not one source of truth, each leader has their own agenda sending an inconsistent and disjointed message to the business.Patrick Lencioni calls this the first team mindset. When leaders see their peers as their true team, trade-offs get surfaced, decisions stick, and alignment cascades.INSEAD research backs this up - many leadership teams don’t even agree on who’s in the team. No wonder competing agendas dominate.And trust? That’s the glue. Without it, leaders avoid tough conversations or play for approval. With it, collaboration replaces rivalry and resources flow where they’re needed.But here’s the kicker: alignment isn’t built in a single off-site. It’s sustained through daily habits, peer coaching, open dashboards, and deliberately investing in the leadership team as a team.So let me ask you: Do your see your peers as your first team… or your competition?Because building a stronger leadership team isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the foundation of effective strategy and culture. And once you’ve nailed it at the top table, you’re far better equipped to set up your second team for success.<figure id="figure-jb7hij3mrhmi3w9u4n"><img id="jb7hij3mrhmi3w9u4n" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2203784055/photo/a-diverse-group-of-professionals-in-a-modern-office-celebrates-success-with-a-high-five.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=s2JYTBYYmjThS3OzpfwMq4mHG4qn8gfYfzELC5Rg3aY=" alt="A diverse group of professionals in a modern office celebrates success with a high-five" title="A diverse group of professionals in a modern office celebrates success with a high-five" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2203784055/photo/a-diverse-group-of-professionals-in-a-modern-office-celebrates-success-with-a-high-five.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=s2JYTBYYmjThS3OzpfwMq4mHG4qn8gfYfzELC5Rg3aY=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Engage with this post on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_whose-team-are-you-really-on-i-asked-activity-7368790307158548480-l0Nd?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_whose-team-are-you-really-on-i-asked-activity-7368790307158548480-l0Nd?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_whose-team-are-you-really-on-i-asked-activity-7368790307158548480-l0Nd?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs</a>&nbsp;

First Team

Rebecca Reti

Management Consulting Firm - Sole Trader Website. Simple 6 page website with the ability for customers to understand offering, view services, book time with me, review thought leaders (linked to LinkedIn blogs)