Ask the EXpert: How do we ensure we follow through on strategy?
Dear EXperts,
We’ve decided as a leadership team to start using OKRs. All of our leaders are on board, but how do we get our teams buy-in?
– Frazzled COO
Our EXpert advice
This is such a common challenge for growing teams! You’re not alone in feeling like strategy always seems to get lost in the whirlwind of daily tasks. The good news is, with the right systems and rituals in place, you can prevent this from happening and make strategy part of the fabric of your company’s day-to-day operations.
The key to keeping strategy alive is building it into your Company Operating System (cOS) - the set of processes, rituals, and tools that guide how work gets done in your organisation. When strategy is treated as something separate from the day-to-day, it’s much easier for it to fall by the wayside. But when it’s baked into the way you operate every day, it becomes part of the routine.
Here’s how you can ensure your strategic initiatives don’t disappear into the daily chaos:
Break strategy down into clear actionable sprints
To make sure your strategy gets done, break it into 2-4 week chunks with clear, achievable tasks. Each chunk should zoom in on one main part of your strategy, with specific goals and deadlines. This way, it’s easier to keep track of how things are going and keeps the team focused.
Set a sprint goal: start by figuring out what you want to achieve in each sprint. For example, if your strategy is about growing the team, Sprint 1 could be about getting those job descriptions written, and Sprint 2 could focus on kicking off the hiring process.
Assign clear roles: make sure each task within the sprint has someone in charge - HR might own the task of writing job descriptions, while the hiring manager owns the approval process.
Check-in and celebrate: schedule regular catch-ups to see how things are going. These check-ins are a chance to see if the team is on track and to shout out any issues. By setting milestones (like “get the first draft of job descriptions done by the end of Week 1”), you give everyone moments to celebrate and adjust plans if needed.
Build accountability: wrap up each sprint with a review where team members share what they've done. This keeps everyone accountable and gives a sense of closure. If something isn’t finished, chat about why and come up with a plan for the next sprint.
Create accountability throughout your team
A solid cOS should include structures that create accountability at every level. This means defining who’s in charge of each part of the plan, keeping an eye on progress regularly, and setting up ways to check in and follow up. When you've got accountability woven into your system, it's way harder for important stuff to slip through the cracks.
Our Accountability Map is here to help you figure out where you might be lacking in accountability and how to lay out key roles and responsibilities in your team.
Embed strategy into your rituals
To make strategy a regular part of your cOS, set up some rituals that keep it fresh and mixed into everyday work. These habits will help your team stay on the same page and hold each other accountable. Here are some ideas for rituals you can try out:
Weekly stand-ups: use the first 10 minutes of your Monday team meeting to chat about your strategic goals. Have everyone give a quick update on how they're doing with their key projects.
Strategic 1:1s: during your regular 1:1s with team members, set aside some time to discuss how their work ties into the bigger picture. For example, a marketing manager might share how their current campaign is helping the company boost brand awareness. This helps everyone take ownership and see how their daily tasks connect to the larger goals.
Regular offsites: getting the whole company together once or twice a year is a great way to hit pause on the everyday stuff and zoom out to see the bigger picture. It’s perfect to focus on strategy without all the usual distractions and make sure everyone’s on the same page. Want your offsite to be fun and creative to boot? Give us a shout.
To make sure your strategy doesn't get buried in the daily grind, really weave it into how your company operates. Link it to the little wins every day, check in on it often, and have your leaders show how important it is. That way, your strategic goals will stay alive, even when things get super hectic. With the right setup, your team will actually start to live and breathe the strategy every day.
