Feedback loops and strategy

Strategy should be thought of more as a loop, not a top down directive. You need to constantly be incorporating new context and information to fine tune the direction.

Strategy defines the choices of your organization, but the strategy is influenced by the organization and choices made. As your team makes decisions, they will be influencing and adjusting the strategy. Leaders that ignore this feedback loop will end up with two strategies: the top down documented strategy, and the bottom up executed strategy.

You need to create feedback loops that allow your organization to adjust the strategy. Leaders should be informed of the lessons learned through execution across all levels of the organization. It's important that you create a Psychologically safe environment that allows team members to communicate bad news and failures.

Quarterly Business Reviews are a good opportunity to review the choices made and discuss how to adjust the strategy.