From strategy slide to roadmap in four conversations

Most strategies do not fail because they are wrong. They stall because the conversations that turn intent into work never happen, or happen in the wrong order.

What has to be true?

For each strategic goal, ask what the organisation must be able to do that it cannot do well today. The answer is a short list of capabilities, and it is the bridge between the strategy deck and everything that follows.

What are we already doing?

Lay current initiatives against those capabilities. Usually a third of the portfolio supports the strategy, a third is maintenance, and a third nobody can explain. That last third is where capacity comes from.

What will we stop?

This is the conversation that gets skipped. Without it, new initiatives are added on top of existing ones, and everything moves slowly. Stopping something is a decision; it needs an owner and a date.

How will we know?

Agree on two or three signals per goal that show progress within one quarter, not only at the end. Then put a short review in the leadership calendar and protect it.