Most strategies I have seen fail were not bad strategies.
They were good plans that never reached the field.
The slides were approved. The launch meeting went well. Then everyone went back to what they were doing before, and at year end we called the strategy wrong.
In my experience, the gap between plan and field shows in four places.
The plan. Many priorities written by a few people, or three priorities every rep can repeat in their own words.
The people. The same roles with capability assumed, or the right people in the roles that matter.
The field. Launched in one meeting and left alone, or turned into calls, targets and coaching.
The leader. Handing it over once the slides are approved, or staying close to the field and asking questions every month.
That last one is the one I would underline. Execution is not something a country manager delegates. It is a discipline the leader owns.
My simplest check is a double visit. Ask the rep, between calls, what we are trying to do this year. If the answer does not sound like the plan, the plan has not arrived yet.
“A strategy the field cannot repeat is not a strategy yet.”
Lesson 2 of 10 in Step 8: Execution and the operating rhythm, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.