How to Strategy according to Adam

1 Dec

Strategy Implementation – Key Takeaways for machinemonitor®

1. We should measure only 5 things to start

Start small and disciplined.
Choose five meaningful metrics that track real progress against our 2025–2027 strategy.
We will add more only after we successfully measure and act on these.

This aligns with the “What can go wrong” section in the deck, which highlights missing KPIs and weak measurement systems as a major failure point (pages 13–14) 2025 - The Challenge of Strateg….

2. SWOT needs to return as a regular health-check

The SWOT from 2024 gave clarity but was used annually only.
Bring SWOT back as a recurring, lightweight check-in every quarter.
Use it to surface risks early, not react once issues appear.

This fits with the cadence shown on the OKR cycle diagram (page 24) recommending regular review and reflection 2025 - The Challenge of Strateg….

**3. Strategy must be reviewed monthly, not annually**

One of the main reasons strategies fail is weak planning and execution discipline (page 14) 2025 - The Challenge of Strateg….
Instead of a once-a-year review, we need:
- Monthly strategy check-ins
- Monthly OKR tracking
- Clear owners and accountability
This keeps momentum and stops initiatives drifting.

4. Measure What Matters (OKR Framework)

Leaning on the OKR model (pages 17–19) 2025 - The Challenge of Strateg…:

Objectives

Aspirational, directional, inspirational.
They set where we want to go.
No metrics inside the objective itself (simple and human-readable).

Key Results

SMART: specific, measurable, time-bound, binary.
You either did it or you didn’t.
They show whether we are progressing toward the Objective.

Initiatives

The levers we pull.
The projects and tasks that move Key Results forward.
Multiple initiatives can drive one KR.

5. How OKRs Will Help machinemonitor® Execute Better

The deck lists 10 reasons strategy fails (pp. 13–14) — OKRs address almost all of them by:

Clarifying communication (everyone knows the “why/what/how”)
Improving alignment across regions and teams
Reducing drift by setting clear, time-bound actions
Establishing measurement and feedback loops
Bringing visibility to leadership
Preventing “annual strategy dust-gathering”

OKRs set the rhythm for execution — ambition at the top, accountability at the bottom, clarity across the middle.

6. Proposed Implementation Rhythm for machinemonitor®

Based on the OKR cycle model on page 24 of the deck 2025 - The Challenge of Strateg…:

Quarterly

Set OKRs for the quarter
Close the previous quarter and review learnings
Refresh the SWOT

Monthly

Strategy check-in
Review progress on 5 core metrics
Update OKR status (green/amber/red)

Weekly / Bi-weekly

Short leadership touchpoints
Remove roadblocks
Monitor progress

This cadence stops strategy becoming theoretical and keeps the organisation aligned.

7. What the Team Should Walk Away With

We start by measuring five key things — the important few.
We bring back SWOT as a living tool.
We commit to monthly strategy reviews, not an annual event.
We adopt OKRs as the framework that turns strategy into measurable action.
We use Objectives → Key Results → Initiatives to give clarity, ownership, and momentum.

This is how we close the strategy–execution gap and deliver on the 2025–2027 machinemonitor® growth plan.

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