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<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Wrap up of Lever 2: Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment</h3>After close to 20 years designing and executing business strategy, the persistent gap between strategy formulation and execution became the ‘why’ behind my eMBA research. I explored with executives of large New Zealand-based organisations (both New Zealand-born and internationally born) the elements that enable effective strategy execution.Over the past few weeks, I’ve shared insights on Lever 2 of my Strategy by Design model: Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment - exploring how clarity transforms intent into coordinated action, and how alignment ensures that effort converges rather than competes.What I discovered was telling: when strategy is unclear, execution fragments. Teams fill the silence with their own interpretations, initiatives collide, and the organisation drifts off course. Leaders described this as one of their biggest barriers to performance, everyone wanted to do the right thing; they just weren’t sure what that was.Execution doesn’t fail because people don’t care, it fails because the direction is unclear. When leaders create coherence, execution accelerates.To explore the insights and practical takeaways from Lever 2, check out my wrap-up article below.You can access the full wrap up article here: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lever-2-strategic-clarity-alignment-turning-ambition-rebecca-reti-ist2c" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lever-2-strategic-clarity-alignment-turning-ambition-rebecca-reti-ist2c">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lever-2-strategic-clarity-alignment-turning-ambition-rebecca-reti-ist2c</a>&nbsp;Written by Rebecca Reti, Strategy &amp; Execution Consultant at Rebecca Reti Consulting.<figure id="figure-a78d444smmi3xn4us"><img id="a78d444smmi3xn4us" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/brpCRW7ImwsZlra3kcUAen0cgRZjsmiIIBWHYSplphbF3iKjncdUeXf0PVNCjJgj.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/brpCRW7ImwsZlra3kcUAen0cgRZjsmiIIBWHYSplphbF3iKjncdUeXf0PVNCjJgj.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>

Wrap up of Lever 2: Strategic Clarity & Alignment

In this business management concept, a businessman erases a white arrow and draws a yellow arrow, symbolizing a strategic shift toward innovation and growth.

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Lever 2: Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment Element 5: Dynamic Strategy</h3>When was the last time your organisation remained committed to its strategic priorities, even when the world around you had clearly shifted?Too often, strategy is treated as done deals. Yet markets shift, customer expectations evolve, and technologies disrupt faster than most organisations can respond.Faced with change, many overcorrect by expanding the "strategic priorities" until everything becomes critical, which means that nothing truly is. But strategy is about choices, and that requires the discipline to pause, review, and re-align when value isn't emerging.Dynamic strategic planning treats feedback as fuel, not failure. It builds in flexibility so organisations can course-correct before energy and investment drift in the wrong direction.In my research, executives expressed frustration that despite a changing world, their strategies remained static. Teams continued to deliver against outdated priorities because the system wasn't designed to adapt. As one leader said, "We knew things had changed, but the plan didn't."Organisations with the highest execution success treated strategy as learning in motion, constantly testing assumptions and adjusting direction.A clear and compelling strategy doesn't hold its course no matter what. It listens for signals, learns, and adjusts.McKinsey's research supports this: the most adaptive organisations revisit priorities four to six times more often than peers, reallocating resources dynamically.Strategic execution needs rhythm, regular systems for reflection, not just reporting. Teams need structured moments to pause, test assumptions, and reset direction. When built into strategic reviews and governance, this discipline sharpens focus and builds trust.The surge in agile ways of working has offered a practical structure for continuous reprioritisation. As one executive told me, "Agile enables quarterly re-prioritisation; we're getting much clearer on priorities and where we spend money."But agile isn't the goal; this way of working supports the principle that execution thrives when strategy, priorities, and learning evolve together.So, what can organisations do differently?&nbsp; - Create shorter planning cycles: Move from annual to rolling or quarterly planning, underpinned by the longer term vision. - Ruthlessly define what matters most: Focus on the few priorities that create advantage and pause work that no longer drives value - Use dynamic resource allocation: Shift funding and people toward the highest-value work as conditions change - Act on evidence: Use data and stakeholder insight to guide shifts - Reward adaptation, not rigidity: Normalise course correction as maturity, not failure.Clarity sets direction. Iteration sustains it. That's why Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment is Lever 2 in my Execution by Design model.<figure id="figure-fldwm6i06jmi3xcpwi"><img id="fldwm6i06jmi3xcpwi" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/3bCxISS941OZBS26ZtzJ9xlknVtIl5apduFxerkQKPaVL2jj9szbO733eFwtS0VE.jpeg" alt="In this business management concept, a businessman erases a white arrow and draws a yellow arrow, symbolizing a strategic shift toward innovation and growth." title="In this business management concept, a businessman erases a white arrow and draws a yellow arrow, symbolizing a strategic shift toward innovation and growth." 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/3bCxISS941OZBS26ZtzJ9xlknVtIl5apduFxerkQKPaVL2jj9szbO733eFwtS0VE.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-dynamicstrategy-activity-7384453045486661632-s7s0?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-dynamicstrategy-activity-7384453045486661632-s7s0?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-dynamicstrategy-activity-7384453045486661632-s7s0?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: Dynamic Strategy

I need everyone to give me their best ideas

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Lever 2: Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment Element 4: Ensuring your strategy is compelling</h3>When was the last time you heard someone outside the executive team talk about the strategy, unprompted, and with clarity and belief?A strategy can be clear on paper, but what makes it truly compelling is how it’s shared and reinforced so people understamd it, believe it and act on it. Many organisations nail the design but neglect the delivery, forgetting that connection is what turns strategy into execution.I’ve seen too many organisations stop at a single announcement: a launch event, a glossy one-pager, a town hall, assuming the message has landed. But without continual reinforcement, it fades. People quickly slip back to old routines, unsure how the strategy connects to their work. As one executive told me in my research: “We had a strategy, but no one explained it clearly or often enough for people to live it.”Strategy becomes compelling when it’s communicated consistently and in ways that resonate. The real test: do people hear it, understand it, remember it, and repeat it? and do they see what this means for them?&nbsp;Neurocognitive research shows someone needs to hear a new message at least three to seven times before it truly registers. What drives retention is repeated exposure in varied contexts, hearing the same idea through stories, visuals, and examples, and spacing those messages over time to strengthen recall.McKinsey notes that the best organisations cut through noise with simple, repeated narratives that leaders embody every day. Many executives treat strategy communication as an afterthought, which is why even senior managers struggle to recall their priorities.What I’ve seen work is when organisations use multiple mechanisms to reinforce: leaders tell the story often and consistently; visuals and roadmaps to make connections tangible; workshops to explore “what does this mean for us?”; and check-ins where progress is tracked and understood across the business. The roadmap from translation (Post 3 in this lever) becomes the anchor, but the real magic lies in how it’s communicated.So, what makes a strategy compelling? &nbsp;• People understand it and leaders have the skills to share it: plain, human language, not corporate code. &nbsp;• They see why choices were made: the logic, trade-offs, and purpose behind them. &nbsp;• They can connect it to their work: through conversations that make it real. &nbsp;• They hear it often: through leaders who repeat and live the message until it sticks. &nbsp;• And the organisation reinforces it: embedding strategy in planning, recognition, and routines so it endures.That’s why Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment is Lever 2 in my Execution by Design model. A strategy that is compelling isn’t just clear, it inspires belief, alignment, and momentum. <figure id="figure-r8d91gd13qmi3x8epg"><img id="r8d91gd13qmi3x8epg" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/1cqdfDIJWJEFD2aCtH2gq1kokTddGQvScRMEujf2Pb8y25OmjqeXgk9Ux0jJOaKw.jpeg" alt="I need everyone to give me their best ideas" title="I need everyone to give me their best ideas" 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/1cqdfDIJWJEFD2aCtH2gq1kokTddGQvScRMEujf2Pb8y25OmjqeXgk9Ux0jJOaKw.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-strategicclarity-activity-7381908816008982528-mMxO?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-strategicclarity-activity-7381908816008982528-mMxO?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-strategicclarity-activity-7381908816008982528-mMxO?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: Compelling Strategy

Businesswoman writing on sticky notes during a brainstorming session

<h2>Strategy Execution by Design Series</h2><h3>Lever 2: Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment Element 3: Strategy Translation</h3>Has your strategy been translated into one integrated plan, or is every function running its own version?A key theme over half of all Executives I interviewed shared, was the lack of collective planning occurring in their organisations, after strategy development. Rather, each business area tended to focus on what naturally sat within its remit, in isolation.&nbsp;But strategy rarely lives neatly within one function.Translation is the work of turning strategy into a coherent roadmap of what will be done, by when, and it’s where execution most often breaks down.&nbsp;Translation is not about drafting next year’s business plan; it’s about looking across the full strategic horizons and setting out the pathway for delivery. That means being clear on what needs to happen, by when, so each function can define what the strategy means for them and identify the capabilities, skills, and resources they’ll need to deliver it.Without cross-functional translation, interdependencies are missed, and initiatives collide or leave gaps. When done well, translation delivers three things: &nbsp;• Clarity and alignment on what needs to be true: the conditions, activities, resources, and capabilities required to deliver the strategy. &nbsp;• A foundation for business planning: informing budgets, resourcing, and priorities around one coherent path. &nbsp;• A tool for communication: making the strategy easier to explain, share, and connect to people’s daily work.Andrew MacLennan, one of the few scholars to focus explicitly on strategy translation, describes it as the critical bridge between strategy design and operational delivery. McKinsey’s research also validated this, sharing that organisations that outperform, excel at mobilising execution by creating integrated roadmaps that connect choices to actions.My research found the same, when organisations invested in translation as a discipline, execution gained pace and alignment deepened. When they didn’t, silos were evident, priorities clashed, and trust in leadership eroded.So, what can organisations do differently? &nbsp;• Define translation as a discipline: it’s not a nice to do, it’s the bridge between ambition and action. &nbsp;• Start with shared understanding: ensure leaders have the same picture of success and what’s in or out of scope &nbsp;• Define the pathway logic: clarify how choices connect to outcomes, to initiatives and activities, this uncovers the conditions, enablers, and sequencing. &nbsp;• Look across horizons: go beyond the annual plan and set a pathway across each strategic horizon and what must be achieved to unlock each horizon.Translation turns strategy from intent into a system people can own and deliver. That’s why Strategic Clarity &amp; Alignment is Lever 2 in my Execution by Design model.<figure id="figure-dwxn5n1zipmi3x3mzj"><img id="dwxn5n1zipmi3x3mzj" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/29Vz8NKym1rZcaGhgB8gkitJ2SJmvrOsrceHaE2KYOxBqxPtkexWaIeYir1BdLWj.jpeg" alt="Businesswoman writing on sticky notes during a brainstorming session" title="Businesswoman writing on sticky notes during a brainstorming session" 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/29Vz8NKym1rZcaGhgB8gkitJ2SJmvrOsrceHaE2KYOxBqxPtkexWaIeYir1BdLWj.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-leadership-activity-7381176466224566272-63sY?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs" data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadership-activity-7381176466224566272-63sY?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAhmYsQBKppHDyfPTxqHXXgP5MmXRjB7WJs">https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rebecca-reti-4582433b_executionbydesign-strategyexecution-leadership-activity-7381176466224566272-63sY?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: Strategy Translation

<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

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

Wrap up of Lever 2: Strategic Clarity & Alignment

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Dynamic Strategy

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Compelling Strategy

Strategy Execution by Design Series: Strategy Translation

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

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