Strategy: from ambition to achievement

Muibat Ijaiya at Strategy Management Partners outlines five critical drivers for strategy execution

 

UK businesses aren’t short on ambition.  The latest research from Strategy Management Partners(conducted with CEO’s and heads of strategy across British medium and large companies), found that 63% of companies are actively pursuing aspirational growth, and 16.4% are aiming for transformative change. Yet despite these bold goals, just 18.4% of businesses actually realise more than 80% of their growth targets within three years. 

 

Why do strategic ambitions so often fall short? Our data makes it clear that while strategy is important, execution is what determines success. Only businesses that treat execution as a core discipline, backed by operational readiness and a culture of accountability, consistently turn ambition into results. 

 

We identified five critical drivers that consistently set high-performing businesses apart. These drivers offer a practical blueprint for closing the strategy-execution gap, especially under increasing external macroeconomic pressure.

 

 

1 Make your value gap measurable

Only 46% of companies define the “value gap” - the difference between their current state and future aspirations - in measurable terms. Those that do are significantly more successful.

 

Quantifying the gap enables better planning, clearer prioritisation, and sharper focus. It turns abstract goals into concrete targets, making it easier to track progress and hold teams accountable. Among businesses with a clearly defined value gap and a disciplined approach to execution, 43% achieved at least 61% of their goals, compared to just 27% of those without them.

 

 

2 Execution readiness

While nearly 75% of business leaders told us they prioritise execution, fewer than 60% actually treat it as a core discipline, and even fewer have embedded the necessary capabilities. This readiness gap is one of the starkest findings in our research.

 

Execution readiness involves far more than intent. It requires structured preparation, including clear communication of strategic goals, training to build executional competencies, and the formation of dedicated teams responsible for implementation. Companies that excel in execution readiness operate with discipline - milestones are defined, responsibilities are assigned, and performance is tracked rigorously.

 

According to our research, 69% of high-performing companies (those achieving over 80% of growth targets and desired future outcomes) treat strategy execution as a core discipline.

 

 

3 Align strategy with operations

The data reveals a common disconnect between strategy formulation and operational plans. Poor integration between the two was cited as one of the top three internal barriers to success, alongside talent shortages and cultural misalignment.

 

The top performers we studied ensure that operational plans, budgets, and team-level KPIs are directly linked to strategic goals. The strategy is visible and actionable at every level across the business. That alignment is what turns vision into results.

 

 

4 Take decisions with data

Our findings show that organisations using real-time data to monitor performance and inform decisions, consistently outperform those that rely on historical reporting or qualitative assessment.

 

Data isn’t just for the boardroom. It needs to be embedded across teams and processes, ensuring visibility, faster decision-making, and early course corrections.   The research highlights that companies with embedded data tools and reporting systems are able to respond more quickly when problems arise.

 

 

5 Build a culture of accountability

Perhaps the most overlooked driver is cultural. Talent shortages and capability gaps were cited by over 50% of enterprise leaders as the top barrier to execution.  This aligns with recent ManpowerGroup findings which show that 76% of employers are struggling to fill skilled roles.

 

High-performing organisations create a culture in which individuals at all levels understand their role in delivering strategic outcomes—and are held to account accordingly.  From senior leadership to front-line managers, clear ownership of outcomes is embedded into daily routines, performance metrics, and incentive structures.  It ensures that strategic priorities are not only understood but actively pursued by every part of the organisation. 

 

 

Why execution matters more now

On top of these internal execution gaps, businesses also face a mounting set of external pressures. Macroeconomic instability, supply chain disruption, rising costs and cybersecurity attacks were all cited by business leaders as threats to growth.

 

The research also reveals that very few organisations have an innovative mindset.  Only 23.6% of organisations in our survey were proactively pursuing disruptive innovation. Most are focused on incremental improvements, usually in response to external triggers, rather than as part of a forward-looking strategy.

 

This reactive approach limits agility. In contrast, businesses that embed innovation into strategic thinking are better equipped to adapt and lead through uncertainty.

 

  

From planning to performance

Our research is clear: ambition is not enough. The companies that succeed don’t just plan better - they execute better. That means measurable goals, integrated strategy and operations, readiness to act, and a culture that drives delivery.

 

Leaders must take the five key actions to move from planning to performance:

 

1 Measure the value gap—clarity drives focus and prioritisation.

2 Build execution discipline—treat it as a core organisational capability.

3 Close talent and capability gaps—execution requires the right people and skills.

4 Align strategy with operations—strategy must live in day-to-day decisions.

5 Foster accountability—create shared ownership at every level.

 

In a high-pressure business landscape, disciplined execution is a competitive advantage. Organisations that get it right won’t just grow - they’ll lead. 

 

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Muibat Ijaiya is a Partner at Strategy Management Partners

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and ATHVisions