How to Turn Strategy into Action: The Discipline of Execution

A few years ago, our annual planning meetings always brought great ideas. They led to clear presentations and a well-defined yearly strategy. But once the session ended, each team went back to their routine, and within weeks, that big strategy was overshadowed by urgent tasks and daily operations.

If this has happened to you, you know how frustrating it is. Over time, I learned that the key isn’t just setting ambitious goals, it’s building a structure that drives consistent action. I call this the discipline of execution, and I want to share a few practices that have worked for me.

1. Make check-ins a habit

When goals stayed at the “theory” level, the best solution was to set regular reviews. That’s how our weekly or bi-weekly check-ins were born — short 15-20 minute meetings where everyone shares progress, blockers, and next steps.

The benefits are clear:

• Fast problem detection: No need to wait until month-end to realize something is off track.
   

• Shared accountability: Knowing you’ll report progress in every meeting keeps people engaged.
   

At Lapzo, we use a visual board with columns like “In Progress,” “To Review,” and “Completed.” Seeing initiatives move across the board creates a real sense of progress and momentum.

2. Align key results with concrete actions

One of my common mistakes was setting key results without linking them to clear initiatives. “Increase NPS from 60 to 75” is a solid target, but the real value lies in knowing how we’ll get there. I learned to translate goals into specific actions that could move the needle:

• If we want to improve satisfaction, we might:
   

  • Launch a new ticket system with clear response times.
     

  • Train the support team on empathy and quick issue resolution.
     

  • Roll out post-service surveys and analyze feedback weekly.
     

Turning goals into concrete steps — with owners and deadlines — makes progress tangible and measurable.

3. Create space for feedback and continuous learning

Execution isn’t just about assigning tasks and tracking metrics. It also requires honest conversations where anyone can say, “This isn’t working. How do we fix it?”

Here’s what I implemented:

• 1:1s with team leads to surface blockers and needs early.
   

• Immediate feedback after big projects, instead of waiting until the end of the quarter.
   

• Monthly retrospectives where we ask:
   

  • What worked and should we repeat it?
     

  • What didn’t work and needs to change?
     

  • What did we learn?
     

Capturing these lessons helps avoid repeating mistakes and speeds up iteration.

4. Measure, adjust, repeat

Execution is a cycle: plan, act, measure, adjust. If a KPI doesn’t move, you need to ask why:

• Does the team have the right resources?
   

• Did something unexpected change the landscape?
   

• Is the issue execution, or impact?
   

Here’s what helped us stay on track:

• Clear metrics: A goal without numbers is just wishful thinking. Setting measurable targets (percent improvement, number of clients, response time) gives you a way to track real progress.
   

• Willingness to adapt: If things aren’t moving, revise the plan. Maybe the goal was too ambitious. Maybe the team needs new skills. Catching this early saves valuable time.
   

Turning strategy into action isn’t about inspiring planning sessions, it’s about building execution into your day-to-day. Weekly check-ins, turning goals into actionable plans, fostering feedback, and measuring consistently helped me stop seeing strategy as a forgotten document, and start living it as a real, continuous process.

The discipline of execution is what turns good ideas into real results.