It Takes a Village to Master Strategy Execution & Maximize & Accelerate Business Value
- Ben Chamberlain
- Apr 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 28
At The Strategy eXecution Forum (StrategyXF), you'll hear us say it a lot — it takes a village to master Strategy Execution. But what does that actually mean? And why does it matter so much?
Already a member? Read the full Guide
Not a member? Apply to become a member
So, What Is Strategy Execution?
The answer starts with how we define Strategy Execution itself:
Strategy Execution is a mission-critical organizational discipline — the GPS that continuously aligns all investments, operational and discretionary, with strategy, and the connective tissue that unites all multi-disciplinary functions to execute with precision and maximize business value and outcomes.
That definition is important, because it reveals something most organizations get wrong. Strategy Execution isn't just about the project portfolio. It's about the full enterprise — discretionary investment and operational activity — all of it needing to align and move in the same direction. And when it doesn't, the cost is real. Value erodes. Not dramatically, but steadily — through misaligned portfolios, misdirected resources, initiatives that underdeliver, and an operational engine that absorbs enormous capacity without ever fully connecting to strategic intent.
The root cause? A village that isn't working as one.
Strategy Execution requires an entire ecosystem of functions to work together — C-Suite leaders, Finance, Operations, IT, HR, Strategy, Enterprise and Business Architecture, Portfolio leaders, PMOs, Change Management specialists, Program and Project Managers, Business Analysts, and the delivery teams on the ground. That's the village. Every one of those functions has a critical and distinct role to play. But too often, each optimizes in isolation — and the result is a fractured operating model where value seeps through every functional seam.
Fixing this starts at the top. The C-Suite has to collectively recognize Strategy Execution as a business imperative — understanding what it's truly costing the organization and committing to develop the enterprise's execution muscle together. Each C-Suite leader represents a different tribe of the village. When those tribes don't collaborate, the silos start at the very top.
Our latest Guide — It Takes a Village to Master Strategy Execution — explores all of this in depth, covering:
The root cause: a village working in silos, not as a cohesive machine. When every function optimizes for itself, the result is a fractured operating model where value seeps through every functional seam — across both discretionary investment and operational activity.
Why this starts at the top. The C-Suite must collectively recognize Strategy Execution as a business imperative — understanding the true cost of the status quo and committing, as one leadership team, to developing the organization's execution muscle.
The roles within the village. A breakdown of every function that must contribute to Strategy Execution — from C-Suite and Enterprise Risk, to Finance, Operations, IT, HR, Architecture, Portfolio leaders, PMOs, Change Management, and delivery teams — and the specific role each plays.
The structure of the village. StrategyXF's Andy Jordan introduces a powerful framework that organizes the village into three distinct groups — Drivers, Enablers, and Deliverers — and explains why understanding how those groups relate to each other is as important as knowing who's in them.
Establishing the Strategy Execution Office. The SEO isn't a bureaucratic PMO — it's the architect of a personalized, enterprise-wide operating model that finally unifies the village. This section covers how to establish it, what it owns, and how it integrates the 5 Critical Capabilities to stop value from leaking.
Already a member? Read the full Guide
Not a member? Apply to become a member
The Strategy eXecution Forum (StrategyXF) is an invite-only, no-fee professional community built by and for the practitioners who know firsthand how hard it is to close the persistent gap between strategy and results. We believe it takes a village to master strategy execution — which is why StrategyXF brings together senior leaders from across the enterprise: C-suite executives, Strategy & Operations leaders, Transformation Offices, Finance, HR, IT, PMO, Enterprise Risk, Change Management, Portfolio Management, Business Architecture, and more.
Together, members collaborate on real-world challenges, share battle-tested approaches, and shape the future of how organizations execute with discipline and impact. This isn't a passive network — it's a practitioner-led community where your experience adds real value, and where every discussion is designed to deliver practical ideas you can apply right away. If you're serious about elevating strategy execution as a mission-critical discipline, we invite you to apply to become a member and help us build something the profession has long needed.
