Closing the gap between strategy and execution

Because what’s the point of strategy if it never leaves the slide deck?

Too often, strategy – whether business, brand, communication, assortment, or influencer – lands in a PDF file, tucked far away in some digital drawer. Great visions, disconnected from teams and reality.

I’ve seen so many great ideas end up there, never seeing daylight. Why is that?

I believe there are usually two ways strategies get made.

Strategy from the top down

Situation: management creates a new brand, business, or marketing strategy and shares it with the team.
Potential problem: it might be great, even inspiring – but too often, it doesn’t get implemented, or gets executed in the wrong way.
Reality check: employees who actually do the work aren’t involved early enough. They don’t get the chance to give feedback, and therefore feel disconnected. Often, strategies are shared without people even knowing they exist.

Strategy from the bottom up

Situation: the design team develops a new product strategy, or marketing launches a global influencer strategy.
Potential problem: it might be great – but budgets, priorities, or long-term business plans aren’t considered due to a lack of alignment or communication.
Reality check: the work hasn’t been approved at the brief stage (the best moment to align), or it’s “kind of approved” without full clarity on what can realistically be done to bring it to life.

Both situations have something in common – the gap problem.

Infusing strategy into an organisation – whatever the situation, whether you’re a company of one or two thousand – is a bit of an art. And not every strategy owner knows how to carry it through, because implementation is often an operational matter. You might ask, “so why isn’t operations taken on board?” The truth is, strategy and operations tend to sit miles apart – sometimes even as quiet rivals. Even as a one-person business, wearing those two hats demands completely different mindsets.

I love strategic work and seeing it come to life is the biggest strategic success I must say. One of studio playground missions is to help close that gap between strategy and reality – to focus not only on how to make strategies, but how to bring them to life. To give long-term actions, not just short-term fixes.

Here are a few of the principles and small tricks we’ve learnt along the way – relevant whether you’re part of a large organisation or building something on your own.

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1. The brief – crucial, crucial, crucial

I adore briefs (everyone knows that). The better the brief, the better the outcome. Few clients create them these days, but they’re essential. Get stuck on the brief. List the reality, the problem, the goals – and the limitations. That’s where many projects slip.

I’ve worked on global channel strategies where crucial limitations weren’t included – for example, clients couldn’t close certain channels or didn’t have the resources to carry things through. Even when the strategy was right, it went flat because the operational setup wasn’t there.

One side of me says: strategy should always aim for the best outcome. True. Yet if something can’t realistically be done within six to twelve months, that strategy will end up binned.

2. The workshop – people power

Not every strategy needs a workshop, but hear me out.

I’ve met many talented senior strategists, and some insist workshops are a waste of time or political theatre. Sometimes, yes. But businesses are still run by people (for now), strategies are made by people (for now), and implemented by people (for now). We need people on board.

Workshops are fantastic for alignment. I’ve run sessions where employees shared insights that even the brief owner didn’t expect. A well-thought-out workshop can become a true playground for both the team and the strategy itself. (Planning to do a piece on workshops soon – stay tuned.)

3. The implementation - keeping strategic momentum

3.1 Strategic assumption check-ins

Every strategist knows that lightbulb moment – when suddenly it all makes sense. In that moment, ping-pong with someone. The client, or someone from the outside. Test your assumptions. Ask: what will make this come to life? Note it down.

3.2 Strategy briefing sessions

Some strategies are so clear and elegant that they should speak for themselves (and they really should!) – yet they still need to be implemented. The strategist should be able to brief everyone involved, answer questions, and help connect the dots.

3.3 Strategic next steps

Every strategy needs next steps – not hidden in the deck, but clearly defined and owned.

I recently worked on a strategy where the logical next step was an organisational change – requiring roughly one and a half full-time roles for at least one to two years. Because we discussed it early in check-ins, it wasn’t a surprise to the CEO. The strategy became a roadmap for real implementation, not just a vision.

Moving Ahead!

The strategy owner should come back – quarterly, twice a year, or annually. It’s strange how often this doesn’t happen. Schedule it in the calendar!

Take editorial strategies: teams meet, and eight out of ten times they brainstorm new ideas instead of revisiting the existing strategy – which should already be a beautiful playground for ideas to spark.

Because what is strategy if not a playground for things to happen?

The best strategies – and their implementation – are built on collaboration, trust, transparency, openness, and patience.
And most importantly, the habit of asking: when do we come back here, are we on track, and how do we bring the next steps to life?

To the season of strategies & strategic implementations!

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Housekeeping

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Thank you for reading,

Auste & Playground team