The Strategy Document That Was Silently Killing Their Business

Last year I sat down with the executive team of a highly technical production business. They were significantly behind target. Investors were applying serious pressure. The atmosphere was tense.

We spent several hours working through what they thought their strategy was before someone finally said: "Actually, we do have a strategy document."

They opened it. Twelve pages.

I read it and understood exactly why they were in trouble.

It wasn't a strategy. It was a peace treaty.

Built by committee to keep multiple conflicting stakeholders happy, it covered everything and committed to nothing. Broad. Complex. Internally contradictory. It was a document designed to avoid conflict, not drive the business.

A real strategy does the opposite. It creates clarity, not comfort. It tells your people what you're doing, what you're not doing, and how. It's focused enough to make someone uncomfortable. If nobody pushed back when it was written, it probably isn't a strategy either.

Here's my challenge to you: if you handed your strategy document to a capable person who'd never met your business, could they tell you what their top three priorities should be?

If the answer is anything other than yes, you have a strategy problem that needs to be addressed urgently.

Our three-stage strategy review process can be a game-changer for business performance and alignment, and stage one is complementary.

Email me at richard@twentyoneleadership.com.