Many strategies are approved by the board and then filed away. Managers keep doing what they did before, because nothing in the document tells them what to do differently.
Test it against a real week
A useful strategy changes how time and money are spent. Ask a manager to plan next week using only the strategy. If they cannot, it needs fewer goals and clearer choices.
- Name the three choices that matter most, and what you will stop doing.
- Translate each choice into a decision a manager makes every week.
- Review progress monthly in the same meeting that reviews the budget.
A shorter strategy with clear trade-offs almost always outperforms a longer one that tries to please everyone.