Why a Promising Strategy Failed (and How It Could Have Been Saved)

Every year, organizations pour enormous energy into new strategies. Yet research shows 70% of strategies fail — not because the ideas are bad, but because the hidden human dynamics that shape execution go unaddressed. This is the story of a leadership team that learned that lesson firsthand.

Discovering the Problem:

A senior leader came to us exhausted and frustrated. Her organization had just launched an ambitious growth strategy: expanding into a new market with a carefully designed plan. The financial models looked solid. The resource allocations were in place. The timeline was aggressive but realistic. Everyone expected success.

And yet, just a few months in, execution began to stall. Deadlines slipped. Teams second-guessed decisions. Meetings stretched on without clarity. Frustration grew across the organization. On paper, everything looked right. But in reality, nothing was moving

forward.

The Map:

Through Systems Mapping sessions, the organization began to see what no spreadsheet or planning deck had captured. The sessions revealed:

• Departments felt the strategy had been decided for them, not with them. Instead of ownership, there was compliance.

• Mid-level managers, afraid of being blamed for missteps, slow-walked progress, waiting for more certainty or direction.

• Incentives pulled staff toward short-term wins — hitting quarterly targets and ensuring personal success — instead of committing to the long-term play,

  
  

In other words, the problem wasn’t the strategy itself: it was the system of behaviors, beliefs, and incentives surrounding it.

The Insight:

After walking through he mapping, leaders realized the failure wasn’t about the plan or effort — it was about alignment. The system was pulling people back toward personal safety and protection instead of collaborative change, reinforcing the very dynamics that made change feel impossible.

The insight was clear: without shifting the system, no strategy would stick.

The Leverage Points:

Mapping the dynamics gave the organization clarity on where to intervene:

1. Widen the Circle – More voices needed to be involved in shaping execution. By creating forums for dialogue and input, the team began to build genuine ownership.

2. Shift Incentives – Recognition moved away from short-term, siloed wins and toward cross-team progress on the long-term strategy. Success was redefined.

3. Build Risk Tolerance – Instead of punishing mistakes, leaders encouraged small experiments. This reduced fear, sped up decisions, and helped the team adapt in real time.

   
   

The Outcome:

The original timeline slipped — but the system shifted. Instead of pushing harder on a flawed path, the organization paused, regrouped, and relaunched the initiative with stronger alignment and momentum. Staff described feeling more included, less afraid of making mistakes, and more confident in where the organization was going.

Strategy alone isn’t enough. Without addressing the system of behaviors and beliefs that shape execution, even the best ideas will stall. Systems Mapping makes those hidden dynamics visible, because when you can see the human behaviors, you can design strategies that last.