When Strategy and Execution Become Disjointed

I’m not a runner, but I love to watch the relay.

You don't need to be an athlete to understand that the most fragile part of any relay race isn’t the speed, it’s the exchange. Two people, moving fast in the same direction, have to trust each other completely. One lets go; another takes hold and, for a moment, both are responsible for keeping the baton moving. If they falter in that moment, even for a second, the race is lost.

The same is true for organizations. The handoff between strategy and execution requires shared understanding, coordinated timing, and the right conditions for teams to move in sync. When those conditions break down, progress stalls.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Harvard Business Review.