January is when many businesses reset. Strategies are refreshed, priorities are agreed and leadership teams leave planning sessions feeling positive about the year ahead.
Fast forward a few weeks and cracks start to show.
By March, the strategy is still technically in place, but the focus has shifted. Operational issues take over, leaders are pulled in different directions and the plan becomes something to revisit later.
This happens every year and it is rarely because the strategy is wrong.
The real problem is the gap between strategy and execution
Most businesses are good at planning. They know where they want to go and what success should look like.
Where things fall down is execution.
Once the planning session ends, the strategy is often treated as complete. There is little structure around how it will be delivered, who is accountable and how progress will be measured.
Without a clear execution framework, the strategy competes with “everything else” and “everything else” usually wins.
Why good intentions are not enough
Leaders often believe that once a strategy is agreed, it will naturally filter through the business. In reality, people need constant clarity, guidance and reinforcement.
Teams look to leadership behaviour to understand what really matters. If leaders are not referring to the strategy, using it to guide decisions or holding people accountable for delivery, the message is clear......
The strategy is just not a priority.
Shared ownership often means no ownership
One of the biggest reasons business plans fail is unclear leadership ownership.
When responsibility for the strategy sits with the whole leadership team, no single person is driving it forward. Progress updates become vague, actions slip and accountability is diluted.
Effective execution requires named ownership. Someone needs to be responsible for keeping the strategy alive, challenging drift and making sure it is embedded into how leaders operate.
Strategy needs to live in day to day leadership
A strategy should not sit in a folder or only appear in quarterly updates.
It needs to show up in leadership meetings, performance discussions and decision making. Leaders should be asking themselves and their teams every day whether actions support the strategy or distract from it.
This is where many businesses struggle. Leaders are capable, but they are stretched. Without support, strategy delivery becomes another item on an already full list.
The role of a Strategic Leadership Director
A Strategic Leadership Director supports businesses with execution, not just planning.
This role focuses on aligning leaders, clarifying ownership and turning strategic goals into practical actions. It provides challenge, structure and momentum when internal focus starts to drift.
By supporting leadership teams, this role helps ensure the strategy is delivered consistently rather than reviewed when it is already off track.
How to stop your strategy failing by March
Strong execution comes down to discipline and leadership behaviour.
It means setting clear ownership, reviewing progress regularly and addressing issues early. It also means leaders being visible in their commitment to the strategy, even when operational pressure increases.
When this happens, strategies stop feeling like annual exercises and start driving real results.
Strategy Execution Review
If your strategy already feels like it is losing momentum, it is not too late to fix it.
Let’s do a Strategy Execution Review to help you identify where delivery is breaking down and what leadership actions are needed to get things back on track.
Get in touch with us to make sure your strategy delivers beyond the first quarter.