Leading with Strategy

7The Strategy of Strategy: Clarifying the Strategic Planning Process

Strategic planning often gets reduced to an exercise in document creation. But strategy is not a static artifact. It's a dynamic, evolving process. In this chapter, I lay out how I approach strategic planning, not as a checklist or set of deliverables but as a living system of dialogue, alignment, and disciplined implementation. This isn't a theoretical model; it's drawn from years in the field, shaped by working with leadership teams through complex transformations.

Let me begin with what I hope is clear by now: Everyone in an organization can learn to be more strategic. Strategy is not the domain of a select few. It's a mindset and a skillset. Developing strategy competencies and leadership capabilities at all levels is one of the most powerful investments any organization can make.

That said, the ultimate responsibility rests with the top. Senior leaders must carry the torch. They must own the strategy and model what it looks like to bring it to life.

Clarifying Ownership and Participation

A successful strategic planning process starts with a fundamental question: Who owns it?

The answer varies. In some contexts, the board plays an active role. In others, it's the CEO or executive committee. Sometimes the CEO leads directly; sometimes the CEO works in tandem with a strategy lead or chief of staff. The structure isn't what matters most; clarity is: clarity on roles, timelines, and decision‐making authority. ...