IT is a staggering statistic: 90% of strategies are never executed. Put differently, 90% of organisations fail to implement their strategies.
Companies invest time, money, and effort into crafting ambitious strategies, yet most of them never translate into real results. Why?
Because too many organisations treat strategy as a one-time event rather than an ongoing process.
They create a strategy, launch it with excitement, and then move on — assuming it will somehow execute itself. But strategy does not work that way.
A strategy that is not actively managed, adapted, and integrated into daily decision-making quickly becomes irrelevant.
In my work with leaders and organisations, I have seen this play out time and again, especially in Zimbabwe. Many businesses treat strategy like a seasonal ritual — something they revisit once a year at a strategy retreat, only to put it away until the next review cycle.
Meanwhile, the world moves on, markets shift, customer needs evolve, and competitors adapt. By the time these organisations return to their strategy, it is already outdated.
The most successful companies take a different approach: They treat strategy as a living, breathing process, adjusting and refining it continuously as they learn.
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Strategy as problem-solving tool
Another key issue I have observed is that many leaders do not see strategy for what it really is — a tool for solving real business problems.
Too often, companies develop strategies simply because it is expected, or because others are doing it, without first asking: What problem are we solving?
If a strategy is not built around solving real customer and business challenges, it will lack impact. The best strategies start by identifying the most pressing problems facing customers.
I have seen businesses follow trends or copy competitors without deeply understanding their customers’ pain points. For example, a company struggling with declining customer retention might rush to launch a flashy marketing campaign or cut prices because competitors are doing the same.
But if they do not investigate the root cause — perhaps poor customer service or outdate product features — their efforts will fail.
Strategy is not about following industry trends; it is about solving real problems in a way that delivers value to customers and drives business success.
Strategy execution gap
Even when companies develop strong strategies, execution is where most plans fail. There is often a gap between strategic intent and real-world implementation.
One of the most common reasons is that strategy is not linked to daily operations. Employees at all levels must understand how their work contributes to the broader strategic objectives. Otherwise, strategy remains a high-level document with no real impact.
Another reason is the lack of clear ownership. If no one is responsible for driving execution, strategy becomes everyone’s responsibility, which often means it’s no one’s responsibility.
The best organisations assign clear accountability to ensure that leaders and teams have specific roles in bringing the strategy to life.
Additionally, many businesses fail to adapt as they execute their strategy. Markets, customer needs, and competitive landscapes change, and if a company waits until the next annual strategy review to adjust, it may already be too late.
Agile organisations continuously refine their strategies, learning from execution and making necessary course corrections along the way.
Moving from planning to action
The organisations that succeed at strategy do one thing differently: They move beyond planning and focus on real execution. They integrate strategy into daily decision-making, ensuring that it is not just a set of goals discussed in boardrooms but a guide for everyday choices.
The best leaders continuously ask: “How does this decision align with our strategy?” to keep the organisation on track.
Successful businesses also measure what matters. Many companies believe a strategy is successful simply because it looks good on paper, but real success comes from delivering results.
The organisations that define clear success metrics and track them consistently are able to see what is working and what needs adjustment.
They also create a culture of strategic thinking where employees at all levels are encouraged to think strategically about their roles and how their work connects to the company’s broader goals.
When employees understand the strategy and see how their contributions matter, they become more engaged and motivated to drive results.
Continuous journey
One of the biggest lessons from working with organisations is that strategy is not a document — it is how you make choices every day in your business.
No strategy survives first contact with reality, which is why the best companies build feedback loops into their execution processes, allowing them to learn, refine, and improve continuously.
Businesses must embrace learning and flexibility, adjusting their strategies as they gain new insights from execution.
The biggest mistake organisations make is treating strategy as a box to be checked rather than an ongoing process. A strategy that is not actively managed and adapted will quickly lose relevance.
Success comes when organisations see strategy for what it really is — a tool for solving real problems and driving meaningful action.
The best leaders ensure that strategy is not just a set of lofty ambitions but a disciplined, structured process that guides decision-making every single day.
If more organisations embrace this mindset — treating strategy as a journey rather than a destination — failure rates will drop, and businesses will move from planning to real, measurable success.
Strategy as a daily practice
The companies that succeed do not see strategy as something they do once a year and then forget. They live it every day.
Strategy is not just a document or a set of slides — it is about how you make decisions, big and small, every single day. It is how you choose where to focus, what to invest in, and what to say no to. A strategy that is not actively managed is as useless as one that was never created. The best leaders do not just set goals and hope for the best.
They keep asking: “Is this working? Do we need to adjust? Are we still solving the right problems?” They make strategy part of how their business runs, not just a planning exercise.
If you want your strategy to succeed, stop treating it as a box to tick. Make it the way you run your business. Ask yourself and your team, every day, “Does this decision bring us closer to our goals?”
The companies that get this right do not just have strategies — they win.
- Nguwi is an occupational psychologist, data scientist, speaker and managing consultant at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, a management and HR consulting firm. — Linkedin: Memory Nguwi, Mobile: 0772 356 361, [email protected] or visit ipcconsultants.com.
