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When a strategy is not producing results, diagnose the gap before changing the plan. First agree on the result and timeline you expected; then check whether the strategic choices make sense, whether the organization can execute them, whether the measures track the intended outcome, and whether the assumptions about customers or the market hold up. Each diagnosis points to a different next step.
Start by defining the result you expected
Write down the outcome the strategy was supposed to produce, who or what market it was meant to affect, and the time horizon for seeing evidence. If leaders and teams do not agree on what success means, an apparent failure may be a disagreement about the goal or timing rather than evidence that the strategy is wrong.
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Choose measures that connect to the intended result and to the logic behind the strategy. A tally of completed projects, meetings, or launches can show activity, but it does not by itself show that the strategy is working. Compare actual outcomes with the result the strategy was meant to create. Graham Kenny argues that business performance measurement should match business strategy in Harvard Business Review.
Check whether the strategy makes real choices
A strategy should explain where the organization will compete and how it expects to win. A list of goals, initiatives, or slogans may describe what the organization plans to do without explaining why those actions should produce an advantage. Ask whether the choices fit together and whether they address the market or customer problem the organization intends to solve.
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Keep strategy distinct from planning. In a 2025 HBR Executive masterclass summary associated with Roger L. Martin, planning is described as allocating resources and setting actions within the company’s control, while strategy makes coherent choices to position the organization to win in a market. The distinction helps locate the problem: a detailed plan can still implement a weak or incomplete strategy. Read the HBR Executive summary.
Freek Vermeulen makes a related point: some initiatives called “new strategies” lack clear choices about what the firm will do. If your strategy cannot clearly state what the organization will prioritize—and what it will not prioritize—revisit the strategic choices before adding more initiatives. Vermeulen’s HBR article discusses this problem.
Separate an execution gap from a strategy problem
A plausible strategy can still fall short if teams do not understand the priorities, lack the skills or resources to deliver, or cannot coordinate across functions. Check whether the people responsible know what matters most, have the authority and capacity to act, and can resolve dependencies that block progress. If the strategic premise still appears sound, address the specific capability, resource, or coordination constraint instead of replacing the strategy by default.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Execution problems are common, but the often-cited figure should be read with care: a 2015 Harvard Business Review article by Donald Sull, Rebecca Homkes, and Charles Sull reported that “two-thirds to three-quarters of large organizations struggle with execution.” The surfaced article passage does not identify the underlying study’s sample, geography, or measurement method, so this is an attributed figure from that article—not a universal benchmark or proof that execution is the cause in a particular organization. Read the HBR article.
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Organizational change can also miss its target because the organization cannot carry out its strategy. Michael Beer discusses that mismatch in Harvard Business Review. Rising attrition or declining revenue may be warning signs, but neither identifies the cause on its own; they need to be considered alongside the strategy, execution conditions, and relevant measures.
Test assumptions about customers and the market
If the strategy depends on people wanting a product, accepting a price, or preferring one feature over another, treat those beliefs as assumptions to test—not facts simply because they appear in a plan. Match the test to the uncertainty and the cost of being wrong.
- Interest: A landing page can gauge whether a defined audience responds to an offer.
- Willingness to pay: Presales or letters of intent can provide evidence of commitment, though the response should be interpreted in context.
- Product or feature preferences: Prototypes, minimum viable products (MVPs), or split tests can compare reactions. A split test varies a chosen element between versions.
An MVP does not have to be a miniature version of the eventual product. Strategyzer describes using a lower-cost proxy to test an assumption more quickly or cheaply. The method is useful only if the proxy can provide meaningful evidence about the question being asked; a test is not a guarantee of reliable results in every context. Strategyzer’s guide to testing business ideas describes these approaches.
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Use the diagnosis to choose a focused adjustment rather than changing everything at once. This is a practical decision framework, not a universal rule validated for every organization.
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| What the evidence points to | What to do next |
|---|---|
| The goal or time horizon is unclear, or measures do not reflect the intended outcome | Clarify the expected result and reset the measures so they track that result and the strategy’s logic. |
| The organization cannot explain where it will compete or how it expects to win | Reconsider the strategic choices before committing to more activity. |
| The strategic premise remains plausible, but teams lack capability, resources, or coordination | Address the identified execution constraint and clarify ownership and priorities. |
| A key customer or market assumption is uncertain | Run a proportionate test—such as a landing page, presale, prototype, or split test—before making a larger commitment. |
After the adjustment, keep the outcome measures consistent long enough to see whether the intervention changes results. If new evidence contradicts the premise, revisit the strategic choices; if it reveals an execution constraint, fix that constraint. Avoid treating a single activity milestone or an unexplained short-term fluctuation as a verdict.
Further reading
For readers who want another perspective on aligning measurement with strategy, Kenny’s HBR article identifies his book Strategy Discovery. This is an optional related resource, not a comparative recommendation. See the book listing.
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