The story is based on a real starting point, with general experiences from complex organizations and teams.
Maria has just been tasked with implementing a new strategy. The goals are clear on paper, but reality is complex – with multiple teams, different areas of responsibility, and established routines. How do you turn strategy into action and get the whole team on board?
At first, Maria felt the challenges were overwhelming: old routines and ways of working, unclear role distribution, multiple perspectives that needed alignment. She realized that the strategy could remain just a document or presentation instead of becoming part of everyday work.
A first step Maria took was that she began asking her team three questions each week:
1️⃣ What is most important right now?
2️⃣ How does each team member see their role in achieving the goal?
3️⃣ What obstacles do we see – and how can we handle them together?
These simple questions brought clarity, engagement, and momentum – small reflections produced big effects.
Team coaching in practice
When implementing strategy in daily work, it’s essential to create focus, accountability, and collaboration in the team. Through team coaching, leaders and teams can:
1️⃣ Create clarity in goals and priorities
2️⃣ Build shared responsibility
3️⃣ Improve collaboration and dialogue
4️⃣ Embed strategy in daily work
5️⃣ Strengthen team independence
This ensures that strategy is not just words on paper but a living part of the team’s everyday work and the organization’s development.
Implementing strategy in complex organizations is rarely easy. But with clarity, dialogue, and focus, you as a leader can: free energy and time for what truly creates value, foster engagement and accountability in the team, and ensure that strategic goals are put into action.
✨ Tips
Ask your team regular questions to create focus, create forums for open dialogue, break down strategy into concrete steps – small actions lead to big results.
When leadership meets team power, strategy becomes reality – and both team and organization can deliver value together.
Nina founder of Coachmore