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Most organizations believe they have alignment. The strategy is written, the leadership team is on the same page, and everyone knows the goal. But what happens on Monday morning, when the teams spread out and the work actually begins?
In this episode of Lean by Design, Oscar Gonzalez and Lawrence Wong explore why alignment at the top of an organization rarely guarantees coordination at the execution level and why that gap is quietly responsible for some of the most costly breakdowns in cross-functional projects.
The conversation reframes a common assumption: strategy and execution are not the same problem. Research shows that while 82% of executives report being aligned on strategy, actual measured alignment sits closer to 23%. And 67% of well-formulated strategies still fail, not because the strategy was wrong, but because of what happened in the space between the plan and the work.
Oscar and Lawrence unpack the patterns that drive this disconnect: tactical priorities that are assumed rather than defined, dependencies that only become visible when they cause a crisis, cross-functional teams operating without a shared understanding of sequencing, and the kind of over-communication that strong project managers practice but organizations rarely build into their design.
This episode is not about strategy frameworks or planning methodologies. It's about recognizing that alignment should not feel like a meeting outcome, it should be how an organization operates. And why closing the gap between what leadership agrees to and what teams actually execute is one of the most underestimated levers in any organization.
Episode sound familiar? Reach out for a 30 min situation read so that we can look at your situation together. https://sigmalabconsulting.com/call
Learn more about us by visiting: https://sigmalabconsulting.com/
Order Predictably Broken Now! https://books2read.com/predictablybroken
Check out video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@LeanByDesignPodcast
Want our thoughts on a specific topic? Looking to sponsor this podcast to continue to generate content? Or maybe you have an idea and want to be on our show. Fill out our Interest Form and share your thoughts.
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By Oscar Gonzalez & Lawrence Wong
5
33 ratings
Send us Fan Mail
Most organizations believe they have alignment. The strategy is written, the leadership team is on the same page, and everyone knows the goal. But what happens on Monday morning, when the teams spread out and the work actually begins?
In this episode of Lean by Design, Oscar Gonzalez and Lawrence Wong explore why alignment at the top of an organization rarely guarantees coordination at the execution level and why that gap is quietly responsible for some of the most costly breakdowns in cross-functional projects.
The conversation reframes a common assumption: strategy and execution are not the same problem. Research shows that while 82% of executives report being aligned on strategy, actual measured alignment sits closer to 23%. And 67% of well-formulated strategies still fail, not because the strategy was wrong, but because of what happened in the space between the plan and the work.
Oscar and Lawrence unpack the patterns that drive this disconnect: tactical priorities that are assumed rather than defined, dependencies that only become visible when they cause a crisis, cross-functional teams operating without a shared understanding of sequencing, and the kind of over-communication that strong project managers practice but organizations rarely build into their design.
This episode is not about strategy frameworks or planning methodologies. It's about recognizing that alignment should not feel like a meeting outcome, it should be how an organization operates. And why closing the gap between what leadership agrees to and what teams actually execute is one of the most underestimated levers in any organization.
Episode sound familiar? Reach out for a 30 min situation read so that we can look at your situation together. https://sigmalabconsulting.com/call
Learn more about us by visiting: https://sigmalabconsulting.com/
Order Predictably Broken Now! https://books2read.com/predictablybroken
Check out video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@LeanByDesignPodcast
Want our thoughts on a specific topic? Looking to sponsor this podcast to continue to generate content? Or maybe you have an idea and want to be on our show. Fill out our Interest Form and share your thoughts.