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<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2>
<h3>Lever 2: Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment Element 2: Internal &amp; External Strategic "Fit"</h3>
So, you've defined your Strategy, but how well is your organisation aligned to deliver it?
Execution depends not just on the quality of the strategy, but on whether your internally and externally 'fit' to deliver it.
Many years ago, I was consulting for a government agency. They'd moved from strategy development straight into delivery. The challenge: each leader interpreted the strategy differently, designing initiatives that conflicted and pulled in opposing directions. Staff were frustrated. What was missing was a bridge between ambition and action - what strategic management calls fit.
🔹 Internal fit is the degree of coherence inside the organisation. Do resources, structures, processes, and culture reinforce each other to support strategy? Without it, effort fragments, decisions slow, and teams lose focus.
🔹 External fit is alignment with the outside environment, customers, competitors, regulators, technology, risks, and opportunities. It keeps strategy relevant, adaptive, and competitive. Without it, organisations execute efficiently on the wrong things: projects get delivered, but strategy drifts out of step with reality.
Fit is the goal; the operating model is how it comes to life. It's the blueprint that turns strategic intent into how the organisation actually works, both internally and externally. Internally, it translates goals into processes, systems, and ways of working so people know what to do. Externally, it shapes how the organisation presents itself to the market and adapts to changing conditions.
Execution succeeds or fails on the strength of fit. McKinsey highlights that bridging the gap between strategy and operating model is essential to deliver at pace. Nicolaj Siggelkow introduced dynamic fit, recognising that alignment can't be static; it must evolve as markets shift. My research echoed these insights: executives were most frustrated when projects weren't aligned to the future state (internal misfit) or when strategy stayed static as the environment evolved. In contrast, organisations that invested in both saw execution accelerate.
The cost of misfit is real. Without internal fit, silos optimise for themselves and execution fragments. Without external fit, the organisation delivers efficiently on the wrong things. Without both, competitive advantage erodes.
So, what can organisations do differently? - Define fit first: be explicit about what alignment means for your organisation, inside and out, before rushing into delivery. - Review and adjust: check that internal coherence and external positioning still hold as conditions change.
With fit, the organisation is designed to deliver and positioned to adapt. That's why Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment is a key element under Lever 2 in my Execution by Design model.
<figure id="figure-tm6q9mpnirmi3wyhyb"><img id="tm6q9mpnirmi3wyhyb" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" title="Strategic business success" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/33Y1guvQP2nfmxwuvxulHde9PxVthcXqk1yQT3joX98vPbefh2qYscjMTcG1BbiY.jpeg" alt="Strategic business success" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" /></figure>
Engage with this post on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-strategicfit-activity-7379372120935641088--kVr?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-strategicfit-activity-7379372120935641088--kVr?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs</a> 
Written by Rebecca Reti, Strategy &amp; Execution Consultant at Rebecca Reti Consulting.

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Internal & External Strategic "Fit"

Young Japanese businesswoman looking up with binoculars in the sky

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2>
<h3>Lever 2: Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment Element 1: Clear &amp; Compelling Strategy</h3>
Is your strategy clear and compelling, and truly guides decisions in your business?
I've seen strategies that read: "be innovative," "drive growth," "customer centric" They sound inspiring, but they don't guide choices. As strategy expert Richard Rumelt writes, "bad strategy" is fluffy goals and wish lists; the hallmark of bad strategy is 'mistaking goals for strategy.' And I see this constantly. 
In my consulting work and research, leaders have told me that this is exactly where execution unravels. More than half of the Executives I interviewed said their organisation lacked a clear and compelling strategy resulting in people interpretting it in their own way, and initiatives ended up colliding.
By contrast, strategies that gained traction were sharp and compelling, with deliberate choices about where to play, how to win, and crucially - what not to do. They were grounded in market realities, competitor moves, risks and opportunities. The choices fit together, each one reinforcing the others.
A good strategy isn't about making all work "fit", that leaves people confused. The point is clarity of direction and scope, so people know which work truly matters and which doesn't.
So, what makes a good strategy? - Insights and diagnosis: a clear view of the market, customers, risks, opportunities, and challenges in relation to your current or potential value proposition - Direction &amp; scope: long-term beliefs and mid to near-term choices - where the organisation is heading, what's in, and what's out - Advantage &amp; trade-offs: how it will win, and what it won't do - Fit &amp; coherence: choices that reinforce each other - Clear measures: how success will be tracked - Mobilisation: simple enough to explain and rally people behind
Gone are the days of defining strategy in isolation. The best strategies draw on insights from staff, stakeholders, and customers, and they're built to flex as conditions change.
My research echoed these insights. Executives I interviewed emphasised that effective strategies were simple, clear choices with measures to assess progress. When strategies were unclear, execution faltered. Teams improvised direction, silos optimised for themselves, and trust eroded.
So, what can organisations do differently? - Ground strategy in insights: involve staff, stakeholders, and customers, and build in agility to adjust - Focus the work: make the hard calls on which initiatives advance the strategy and stop the rest - Build feedback loops: test assumptions, surface blind spots early, and change course when needed - Measure what matters: track outcomes that show if choices are creating impact
When organisations do this, strategy becomes the guide for execution. That's why Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment is Lever 2 in my Execution by Design model. 
<figure id="figure-ddjfyr1qmi3wtnry"><img id="ddjfyr1qmi3wtnry" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" title="Young Japanese businesswoman looking up with binoculars in the sky" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/duor8oqSELQsX4EhpCYaeDCpHYAEUzL75egb17u2CxUVoa8H8OaGE3PLCu8ohFNs.jpeg" alt="Young Japanese businesswoman looking up with binoculars in the sky" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" /></figure>
Engage with this post on LinkedIn:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadership-activity-7378586898845581312-jjy5?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadership-activity-7378586898845581312-jjy5?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs</a> 
Written by Rebecca Reti, Strategy &amp; Execution Consultant at Rebecca Reti Consulting.

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Clear & Compelling Strategy

<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; Written by Rebecca Reti, Strategy &amp; Execution Consultant at Rebecca Reti Consulting.<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://cdn.durable.co/getty/1fFuvZU7LnY1fPeZCy7Tm4VwcHgYo0FZhE1VAhAhcONOp0OZ3IpjLuGLTW55hStY.jpeg" 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://cdn.durable.co/getty/1fFuvZU7LnY1fPeZCy7Tm4VwcHgYo0FZhE1VAhAhcONOp0OZ3IpjLuGLTW55hStY.jpeg" 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; Written by Rebecca Reti, Strategy &amp; Execution Consultant at Rebecca Reti Consulting.

Strategy Execution by Design Series: 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" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" 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." src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/2lRw7mHEAsex8iF6PAWmfnCItlMHIMmdUn4Sbnl5SIta3ZLtDnZB6SHQm8eFTuQW.jpeg" 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." 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/getty/2lRw7mHEAsex8iF6PAWmfnCItlMHIMmdUn4Sbnl5SIta3ZLtDnZB6SHQm8eFTuQW.jpeg" 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;Written by Rebecca Reti, Strategy &amp; Execution Consultant at Rebecca Reti Consulting.

Strategy Execution by Design Series: 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; Written by Rebecca Reti, Strategy &amp; Execution Consultant at Rebecca Reti Consulting.

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Leadership Learning

Rebecca Reti Consulting

Rebecca Reti Consulting is a boutique strategy execution consultancy based in Brisbane, working with CEOs, boards, and executive teams across Australia and New Zealand. We help leaders build the conditions for effective execution through four service areas: Strategy and Planning, Execution and Delivery, Leadership and Culture, and Training Programs. Our proprietary Strategy Execution by Design (SEBD) framework bridges the gap between strategic intent and measurable outcomes.

Insights

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Internal & External ...

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Clear & Compelling S...

Wrap up of Lever 1: Leadership & Trust

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Relational Engagement

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Trust and Psychologi...

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Leadership Learning