I once worked with a financial institution that proudly claimed 92% of its strategic initiatives were “on track.” The CFO & CEO beamed. The board applauded. The dashboard glowed, a sea of green.
But on the ground?
- Staff morale was collapsing.
- Key investors were quietly withdrawing.
- The boardroom was fractured, divided along unseen battle lines.
So, I asked: “On track… according to whom?”
They pointed to the dashboard, bright green, immaculate. A Christmas tree of deception.
When I get an opportunity to work with leaders and deep dive into a business, the starting point is by ripping apart the dashboard. I want to see alignment to outcomes, not activities. I want to see decisions made from data, not stories told with charts.
In a logistics firm I supported, we killed over 60% of their strategic initiatives. Why? Because they were noisy. Not strategic. They did not move the needle. We replaced them with just four outcomes. Each with one clear scoreboard. Owned by EXCO. Not delegated.
The problem is not that the strategy fails. Nobody tracks the right things.
“Clarity of the true north. That is how strategy wins.
If you want to track strategy meaningfully, start with this painful leadership question: What outcomes will you be held personally accountable for in 90 days? If the answer is vague, you are not leading. You are floating.
Here is your practical tool from Mr Strategy:
Strategy Pulse Meeting – Every 2 Weeks
- Gather EXCO only.
- Review top 3 strategic outcomes. No more.
- For each, ask: What changed in the last 2 weeks? Why? What is the next visible win?
- End by killing one project. Every meeting. Keep the machine lean.
No more status updates. No more green lies. Just clear, ruthless progress.
Clarity of the true north. That is how strategy wins
Mr. strategy
