Strategy Reassessment Techniques

Most strategy review workshops are a waste of time. Not because people don’t care. But because they ask shallow questions and avoid uncomfortable truths. This week, I ran a leadership session with a simple goal: 👉 Review how our transformation is really going. 👉 Decide what to change, double down on, or let go of. We used this structure to get deep, fast. We explored 5 key dimensions: 1️⃣ Strategic Progress → Are we making progress on what we said matters most? → How well are we addressing the strategic challenges we set out to solve? → Which goals or priorities are on track, off track, or obsolete? → Are we solving real problems, or just executing activity? 💡 This focuses the group on outcomes rather than busyness. 2️⃣ Organizational Behavior & Culture → Are we behaving differently, or just talking about it? → What new behaviors are becoming the norm? → Where is old culture pulling us back? → Are people taking ownership or waiting for direction? 💡 This surfaces whether the transformation is truly lived or just branded. 3️⃣ Collaboration & Decision-Making → Are we leading as a team, or still operating in silos? → Are we making cross-functional trade-offs or defending turf? → Are decisions made fast and close to the action, or slow and political? → Do we challenge each other constructively or avoid conflict? 💡 This reveals if the leadership team is truly aligned and acting as one. 4️⃣ Execution System & Governance → Do we have the right mechanisms to move forward with clarity and speed? → Do we have clear ownership, milestones, and feedback loops? → Are strategic initiatives (EPICs, programs, workstreams) delivering? → Is governance enabling or bureaucratic? 💡 This shows whether your transformation engine is tuned for progress or stuck in planning. 5️⃣ Customer & Market Impact → Is the transformation visible to the outside world? → What’s changed for our customers or stakeholders? → Are we delivering new value or just optimizing internally? 💡 This gets you out of the building. Then we asked 3 provocative questions at each dimension: – What needs to shift? – What do we need to double down on? – What’s becoming more (or less) important? Here’s how it worked: ✅ Small rotating groups ✅ Flipcharts at each dimension ✅ Start–Stop–Continue format ✅ Gallery walk + dot voting to surface shared priorities ✅ Team-wide synthesis to define clear next steps The result? No buzzwords. No corporate theater. Just clarity, alignment, and commitment. What's your go-to format for strategy reviews? ♻️ Please share to help someone you know make better strategy. Follow Dr. Marc Sniukas for more practical strategy insights.

“We’ve always done it that way” is the first line of a recipe for never moving forward. “Still works” is seductive. Familiar processes feel efficient, and habits that once produced results look rational. But the operating question has changed from “Does it work?” to “Is it still the best way?” In high-change environments, yesterday’s wins become today’s ceilings. Research backs this up. McKinsey describes the “adaptability paradox”: precisely when leaders need fresh thinking, they default to the familiar, which blocks the learning and innovation required for what comes next. Adaptability is what moves organizations from enduring shocks to thriving beyond them. McKinsey also notes that resilience and adaptability are distinct. Resilience responds well to events; adaptability rewires how you operate so you can keep creating advantage under new conditions. That means systems, skills, and metrics must evolve in sync with the environment, not after it. Harvard Business Review puts a sharper point on it: the obstacle isn’t learning new things, it’s unlearning outdated mental models. Letting go is a skill. The cycle is: recognize what’s obsolete, install a better model, then ingrain the new habits. For operators and founders, the discipline is deciding what to stop optimizing, which dashboards to retire, and when a “steady” process is actually slowing decision speed. Stability and stagnation can look identical from the outside. The best leaders make reassessment a habit. They pressure-test assumptions on a rhythm, measure learning velocity alongside output, and design for reversibility so experimentation is safe. Unlearning is not anti-execution. It is execution for a faster game. When you subtract the now-counterproductive, you release resources for what compounds next. That’s how you convert disruption into durable advantage. Start here: ✅ This week, pick one “works fine” process and ask: is it still our best path or just our most comfortable one? ✅ Replace one “best practice” with a “next practice” built for the conditions you actually face now. ✅ Add one metric that rewards iteration and reversibility (e.g., experiments shipped, time to decision reversal). ♻️Repost & follow John Brewton for content that helps. ✅ Do. Fail. Learn. Grow. Win. ✅ Repeat. Forever. ⸻ 📬Subscribe to Operating by John Brewton for deep dives on the history and future of operating companies (🔗in profile).

Why I sense-check all actions after investigation. (Without it, you might overlook problems.) People rarely talk about reassessing actions. → Did you identify all affected products? → Are you sure about your problem statement? → Was there an issue you might have overlooked? For more context - let's say you start your CAPA. At first, you want to contain and correct your NCs. Then, you investigate and identify the root cause. After this, you implement corrective action. Stop - don't do it. At least, not yet. How do you know the initial actions were "right"? - All actions taken relied on early information. - You haven't reassessed your first steps so far. - To be confident, it's better to check them again. You spent so much time in the investigation to: • Review requirements and historical data • Create flow charts and process maps • Interview all involved people    Spend a little bit more time. Use the data points you gathered to identify neglected issues. Here are the questions I ask: 1. Do I need to revise the bounding rationale? 2. Is more product affected than I assumed? 3. Is my problem statement still accurate? 4. Does my CAPA scope need an update? 5. Are other processes impacted as well? 6. Do I want to have more containment? 7. Is my risk assessment still applicable? 8. Am I in need of further correction? I know this can be annoying. But it's better to have this challenge now. Or do you want someone to get hurt (or worse)? I know you don't want to. So, let's ensure our medical devices are safe and efficient. PS - Do you already reassess your initial actions?

Self-reflection is an important tool for entrepreneurs to use to help grow and improve their businesses. Continuous self-reflection is not always feasible in the busy life of an entrepreneur. Therefore, I recommend a practice that I undertake in my own business: taking stock at the beginning of each quarter. Some of the questions I ask myself are: 💡Do my core values still align with the mission of my business? 💡What is the business's unique "value added?" 💡 Am I bringing my business's unique value to the table? 💡Am I effectively communicating my unique value added to others? 💡What has worked well in the last few months? Why? 💡What has not worked well in the last few months? Why? 💡What should I change, and what should I keep the same? 💡What should I be doing to add more value? 💡Is there something new I can learn to impact my business significantly? 💡What is that something new? 💡Can I identify and plan for monthly or seasonal trends in my business? 💡Are there areas in which I can (or should) ask others for help? This sort of assessment is to help me re-focus, get out of the weeds, and know where improvements should be made that will make my company stronger and better. It is an exercise I also recommend to clients who are interested in reassessing. At times, we all get bogged down by the minutia involved in running a business. That is to be expected. The key is resurfacing and making sure we also can see the forest for the trees. To improve and grow, in business and in life, it is important to know what matters most and has the most impact. We cannot expect different results from the same behavior.

Portfolio Management and Strategic Alignment (Evaluating organizational strategic goals and objectives) Introduction Portfolio management is a crucial aspect of any organization, ensuring that all projects and initiatives align with the overall strategic goals and objectives. Evaluating Strategic Goals and Objectives To ensure that projects align with strategic goals, organizations must first thoroughly understand these goals. This understanding can be achieved through various information-gathering techniques, such as document reviews and interviews. 1. Document Reviews: This involves examining existing documents, such as strategic plans, annual reports, and business plans. These documents provide valuable insights into the organization's priorities and long-term goals. For instance, a strategic plan might outline the company's goal to expand into new markets, which would guide the selection of projects that support this expansion. 2. Interviews: Conducting interviews with key stakeholders, such as executives, managers, and employees, helps gather firsthand information about the organization's strategic priorities. These interviews can reveal insights that are not documented but are crucial for understanding the organization's direction. For example, an interview with a marketing manager might highlight the importance of digital transformation in achieving the company's strategic goals. Information Gathering Techniques In addition to document reviews and interviews, other information-gathering techniques can be employed to understand strategic priorities: 1. Surveys and Questionnaires: These tools can be used to collect data from a larger group of stakeholders. Surveys can provide quantitative data on stakeholder opinions and priorities, while questionnaires can gather more detailed qualitative information. 2. Workshops and Focus Groups: These interactive sessions allow stakeholders to discuss and prioritize strategic goals collectively. Workshops can facilitate brainstorming and idea generation, while focus groups can provide in-depth insights into specific areas of interest. 3. SWOT Analysis: Conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis helps identify internal and external factors that can impact the organization's strategic goals. This analysis provides a comprehensive view of the organization's current position and future potential. Strategic alignment in portfolio management is essential for ensuring that all projects and initiatives contribute to the organization's long-term success. By evaluating strategic goals and objectives through document reviews, interviews, and other information-gathering techniques, organizations can prioritize projects that support their strategic priorities. This alignment helps organizations achieve their goals more effectively and efficiently, ultimately leading to sustained growth and success.

💡 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝; 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝. 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞. Have you ever seen a bold strategy crumble because it missed the mark on the 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦? 🤔 Or watched a leader dive headfirst into execution without testing the waters? 🌊 These missteps happen more often than we admit—and they’re entirely avoidable with strategy refinement. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 🔍 Invest in Refinement Techniques: Use tools to identify critical leverage points and validate your approach before scaling. Here’s how you can start refining: 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 🎯 Begin with the smallest, most impactful slice of your strategy. 🔄 Iterate on it and use metrics to confirm it’s working. ✅ Validate the approach before making a larger commitment. 🧮 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 🔎 Break down the system to uncover key leverage points. 📈 Focus your efforts where they’ll have the biggest impact. 🔧 For example, prioritize reducing bottlenecks or friction points. 🗺️ 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠: 🖋️ Map the evolving ecosystem around your strategy. 🌍 Study how changes in technology or market dynamics may influence your approach. 🔄 Adapt your strategy to align with future trends. 💡 My Advice: Build your refinement toolkit. Start with one technique, apply it to a current problem, and share your learnings. As you grow, so will your ability to tackle complex challenges with clarity and focus. #strategy #Leadership #Innovation #engineering

A strategy refresh isn’t just about tracking execution—it’s about ensuring your strategy is still the right one. ☑ Why Refresh Your Strategy? ↳ Ensure alignment with evolving market conditions & internal dynamics ↳ Identify emerging risks & opportunities before they impact performance ↳ Avoid strategic stagnation & keep your competitive edge Key Steps in a Strategy Refresh ☑ Stress Testing the Strategy ↳ Use scenario analysis (long-term) & war gaming (short-term) to evaluate robustness ☑ Assessing Strategic Alignment ↳ Review the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) to ensure alignment with company's vision ☑ Identifying Strategic Adjustments ↳ Update initiatives, objectives, & resource allocation based on findings ☑ Implementation Planning ↳ Cascading updates across teams & aligning operational plans for seamless execution The best strategies evolve. Proactively refreshing your strategy ensures continued relevance, adaptability, and success in a rapidly changing world. How often does your organization revisit its strategy? Ps. If you like content like this, please follow me 🙏

Sometime back, I met an ex-colleague. He had been a star-performer, always excelling – and had moved to another organisation couple of months ago. As we got talking, I asked him how he was finding his new role, the team, and the culture of the new organisation. Actually ‘The Transition’. I found it a bit strange when he told me that he wasn’t satisfied with the way his work was progressing. His team was busy, always running at full steam, targets were being reasonably met – everything seemed fine on the surface – and yet, something was not quite right. When I dug deeper, we found that he and his team were stuck in a cycle of doing the same things over and over again. There was NO NEW PERSPECTIVE. So, I wore my Mentor Hat, and suggested something radical to him - a PAUSE.   Stop all non-critical tasks for 2 days. No sales meetings. No firefighting.  Instead, sit with the team and analyse: 👉 What are we DOING RIGHT? 👉 What WASN'T WORKING anymore? 👉 What’s NEW & had CHANGED IN THE MARKET that we were too busy to notice? 👉 What’s NEXT? A fortnight later, he called me back excitedly, with a few insights that were eye-opening. Competitors had introduced newer, more flexible products. Customers were demanding features/benefits that they weren’t offering. And their sales tactics, while functional, had become outdated. That pause wasn’t just a breather, it worked as a COURSE CORRECTION. They decided to redefine their sales strategy, and revamp their customer engagement model. Within six months, their growth trajectory was back on track. Why had the ‘PAUSE’ worked? ▶️ Reflection fuels growth: Without time to reassess, you risk operating on autopilot while the world moves ahead. ▶️ Strategy & Execution: Being busy isn’t the same as being effective. A clear strategy ensures your actions have impact. ▶️ Adapt to survive: Markets change, competitors innovate, and customer needs evolve. Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to ‘PAUSE’, yet, staying relevant requires RECALIBRATION with REFLECTION. Step back, reassess, and ask the tough questions.  Because sometimes, stopping is the only way to start again—better and stronger. When was the last time you paused? What did you discover? If you would like to have a conversation with me and my Mentor Hat along with the Coaching Hat, do reach out to me at sanjay@oneiraconsultinglondon.com, and visit my website oneiraconsultinglondon.com. Picture Courtesy: Clifford Barclay Lecture Theatre, Egrove Park, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford #StrategicThinking #Pause #Progress #Leadership #Adaptability

✨ Evaluate Your Strategy in a Practical Way: Strategic planning is akin to planning a trip. Your vision serves as the destination, while the mission defines the trip's goal. To reach your destination successfully, you must have the right strategy – a clear roadmap guiding each step. Here are the basic steps to evaluate your strategy: 1. Evaluate Your Current Status: Begin by conducting a thorough market survey to grasp the business landscape. This is akin to the scenic "views" you encounter during your journey – external factors influencing your path. 2. Analyze Your Situation: Perform a SWOT analysis to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. This analysis mirrors the "bus" you travel in, representing your company's internal workings and culture. 3. Understand Competitors: Monitor your competitors' actions to ensure your strategy remains competitive and relevant in the market. 4. Focus on Customer Segments: Identify and target customer segments aligned with your objectives. This step ensures your strategy remains practical and achievable. 5. Align Strengths with Opportunities: Leverage your internal strengths to capitalize on external opportunities, while addressing threats and shoring up weaknesses. 6. Review and Revise: Regularly assess your strategic plan to adapt to market changes effectively. Remember, evaluating strategy goes beyond data collection – it involves making informed decisions that foster your company's growth.

Teams familiar with Gartner's 5R Strategy or Amazon Web Services (AWS) 7R Lane analysis in cloud migration will find Harvard Business Review 6R framework particularly compelling. This approach tackles one of the most critical challenges in organizational management: resetting teams when performance and morale have gone off track. Left unaddressed, team dysfunction can prove catastrophic for both leaders and entire organizations. The authors Alyson Meister, PhDIna Toegel present a systematic approach that mirrors the methodical thinking we see in technology transformations. The Six-Step Reset Process 1.Reassess: The need for leaders to diagnose before acting. Cultural norms, personal histories, and power dynamics often mask real issues. The authors suggest that collective truth-telling proves more effective than isolated discussions. 2. Reconnect: Focus on creating psychological safety. Model vulnerability, opening up the much needed space for team members to voice frustrations and disengagement. Essential to  reestablish the human connections to facilitate moving forward together. 3. Reenvision: Reignite purpose  by reconnecting the team to their core mission. Through facilitated discussions, teams rediscover their shared understanding of long-term goals, priorities, and individual contributions. Direction Clarity over Ambiguity 4.Recontract: Make expectations explicit. Teams co-create agreements about roles, decision-making processes, and behavioral standards. This clarity reduces friction and restores both structure and fairness to team dynamics. 5.Reenergize: Build momentum through quick wins and recognition. Achievements however small, help rebuild team pride and confidence. Strategic use of rituals, gamification, and positive check-ins could inject fresh energy into the group. 6.Readjust: Treat team resets as an ongoing process rather than a one-time intervention. Regular feedback loops and willingness to refine agreements keep teams responsive and agile over time. The Migration Parallel: Just as cloud migrations requires careful assessment, planning, and phased execution to transform technical infrastructure, team resets demand the same methodical approach to transform human dynamics. Organizations frequently aspire to move from a current state that no longer serves to a future state that enables growth, and interestingly both these processes  require sustained attention to ensure the transformation sticks. #TeamTransformation #LeadershipDevelopment #OrganizationalChange Nelson Fernandes -Sales Coach BigLeapsKalpesh Raichura 𝕰𝖝𝖈𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊 🥇Umesh SinghBhagyasree VijayakumarShahab MithaSivamani SangaranarayananPrashant KumarPrasanna SubramaniamBharath GopalanMijitha MuralidharanRajesh MJude FernandesAlice Y.Ramasubramaniam(Ram) SrinivasanBaskar RengaiyanSangeeta ShettyMuzzammil AltafSaravanan TNSSriram UppuluriSushil ThakurKrish SubramanianPrakash Anand SuvarnaR Ramesh Prasad https://lnkd.in/g-eVcadk