Strategy is a Tool for Alignment

As a new leader, you want to get your strategy right. So, you invest a lot of time in the process of developing a strategy - you analyze your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, develop a comprehensive presentation, and secure approval from the board. And, after all that work, you and your leadership team struggle to get people to implement it.

Here's the thing. Strategy isn't about having the perfect plan. It's about aligning everyone on your shared goals and the steps required to achieve those goals. The moment you treat strategy as a planning exercise instead of an alignment tool, you've lost. The best strategies aren't the most detailed—they're the ones that get people moving in the same direction, making consistent decisions, and adapting together when reality doesn't match the plan.

Forget the comprehensive vision statement. Ask yourself: what is the purpose of our team (or organisation), and what three things do we need to remember to achieve this purpose? Everything else is detail. This isn't dumbing down—it's creating shared focus. When everyone knows the same three priorities, they can make aligned decisions without asking permission.

"Increase revenue" isn't a finish line—it's a direction. If you want your team to work in the same direction, you need to give them SMART goals. That means they have goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable (but challenging), Realistic, and Timebound. Rather than "increased revenue", try "To generate £2 million in new business by December, while retaining 85% of our current clients". This is an objective everyone can see and work towards. Don't be afraid to break down big, multi-year goals into smaller six-monthly or annual targets that are aligned with your three priorities.

If you view strategy and delivery as an ongoing conversation, then it becomes evident that it should be part of all engagements that the team and organisation have. Try building weekly check-ins around three simple questions: What progress did we make? What's working? What needs to change? Keep track of progress against the top three priorities, including what is outstanding and the key barriers. Remember, if you keep it simple, use one shared tracker, ask three questions, and maintain a consistent rhythm. When everyone has the same information and asks questions about the three priorities, alignment follows.

The best strategies don't predict the future; they help teams adapt together when the future arrives. By using a strategy to establish a team rhythm and focus on three key priorities, you are enabling the team to adjust as new challenges emerge. You don't need to be attached to a detailed plan you've invested a lot of time in. Instead, you can focus on responding to emerging circumstances, working together as a team to identify how the changes impact your top priorities.

Businesses fail when people don't feel connected to each other or the organization's purpose. This is where simple strategies thrive; they help people connect their work to the bigger picture by making clear what matters. Your job is to help people see how their work fits into the bigger picture by helping them understand how their piece fits into the whole story.

Traditional strategy focuses on prediction and planning. An alignment-focused strategy focuses on coordination and adaptation. The difference is everything. When strategy is about alignment, you're not trying to eliminate uncertainty—you're building a team that can navigate uncertainty together. You're creating shared language, priorities, and decision-making processes when the unexpected happens.

If your team struggles with execution, the problem is usually alignment, not strategy. Look for these warning signs: people asking for clarification on basic priorities, inconsistent decision-making across teams, or the same issues surfacing repeatedly in meetings.

If you want to know more Mirror Mirror's Whitepapers on alignment are an excellent resource on the science of alignment and what you can do about it. I have also found the work of Oliver Burkeman helpful in enabling me to let go of the need to have a comprehensive plan and focus more on putting down tasks than squeezing more in.