Off the Deck

Notes on getting strategy done.

A cat asleep on a stack of slides while the top slide flies off

Latest

An empty boardroom. Tess has flagged a note: No check-in since March. A cat sleeps on the frame.

For leaders running goals and OKRs

Why goals go silent before they fail

Goals rarely fail loudly. They go silent first, and the silence is the earliest warning you'll get.

Viswesh Krishnamurthy

Read the post →

Hoshin Kanri: How to Turn Strategy into results and actually get things done

The core problem Hoshin Kanri addresses is the pervasive disconnect between executive vision and operational reality.

Resources

5 min read

Curing Decision Paralysis: How to Implement the RAPID Framework with Your Leadership Team

The core problem in decision making is rarely a lack of ideas or talent, but a lack of a clear, shared process for making and executing high-stakes choices.

Resources

8 min read

Making Strategy Stick: How to Use the ADKAR Model for Effective Organizational Transformation

The slides are crisp, the strategy is sound, and the town hall applause is genuine. Yet, real change is elusive. ADKAR helps make this change real.

Resources

5 min read

How to Pick the Right Projects to Drive Strategy Forward

Picking the right projects is the real test of strategic maturity. It’s where big aspirations meet limited resources.

Article

8 min read

OKRs and Performance Goals Are Not the Same

While both are important, Performance goals and OKRs serve very different purposes. Confusing the two can lead to wasted effort, misaligned priorities, and missed opportunities.

Resources

5 min read

7 Common Mistakes in Writing OKRs (and How to Fix Them)

OKRs are one of the most powerful tools for aligning teams, driving focus, and executing strategy. But writing effective OKRs is harder than it looks.

Resources

8 min read

Achieving True Strategic Alignment: A Blueprint for Transformation Leaders

Brilliant strategies often falter in execution due to a lack of genuine strategic alignment

Resources

7 min read

How to Succeed with OKRs in 2025: A Practical Guide

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how you can succeed with OKRs in 2025, avoid common pitfalls, and leverage modern tools (including AI) to stay ahead.

Article

5 min read

The Chief of Staff’s Operating System: Driving Executive Decisions with Boyd’s OODA Loop

Chiefs of Staff are under constant pressure to streamline strategy execution and enable faster, smarter decisions. In this piece, we break down how Boyd’s OODA Loop, Observe, Orient, Decide, Act, can serve as a practical operating system for executives, helping you align leadership cadence, reduce decision bottlenecks, and drive strategy execution with clarity and speed.

Resources

5 min read

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM): How It Differs from Agile and Traditional Approaches

CCPM focuses on managing resources, dependencies, and project bottlenecks to ensure projects finish faster with fewer delays. Let’s break down what it is, how it works, and why it matters.

Article

5 min read

Anatomy of Strategy: The Key Ingredients and Execution Essentials

Crafting an effective strategy is rarely a purely analytical exercise. It is a creative, iterative process that goes beyond numbers and spreadsheets. At its core, every successful strategy rests on three foundational pillars, Assessment, Aspirations, and Assumptions.

Article

3 min read

Does Culture Really Eat Strategy for Breakfast?

Does culture really eat strategy for breakfast?

Resources

7 min read

KPIs vs OKRs

Let's settle this. KPIs & OKRs are both important, but they are not the same!