Move

Move Plot Summary

Introduction

Strategy execution is where most organizations falter. Despite brilliant plans and enthusiastic kickoffs, transformations often lose momentum when faced with the vast expanse of what I call "the Middle" - that long journey between exciting beginnings and successful conclusions. During this critical phase, initial enthusiasm wanes, daily pressures mount, and teams start wondering, "Are we still doing this?" The hard truth is that you can lead a transformation from the top, but you can't implement it from the top alone. Successful execution requires engaging everyone in your organization through the challenging middle phase where obstacles emerge, priorities compete, and the gravitational pull of old habits becomes strongest. This journey demands concrete planning, the right organizational structure, personal valor to face difficulties, and systematic engagement of your entire team. When these elements align, even the most ambitious strategies can move forward decisively despite inevitable setbacks.

Chapter 1: Define Concrete Outcomes in the Middle

The most common strategy execution failure happens when leaders communicate inspiring end goals without defining what specifically needs to happen in the middle. Organizations get stuck in what I call "situation discussions" - endless conversations about current problems, market conditions, and competitor moves without taking decisive action. These discussions are essentially collective admiration of problems rather than progress toward solutions. I experienced this firsthand when working with a consumer electronics company facing revenue challenges in Europe. For over a year, they had discussed "the problem in Europe" in vague terms. When I pressed for concrete outcomes, the conversation shifted dramatically. The Sales GM acknowledged their current enterprise-focused model wouldn't deliver the needed $20 million growth. Through targeted questions, we uncovered that 75% of growth needed to come from retail channels they weren't even operating in yet. This concrete outcome discussion immediately revealed the necessary actions: hire retail marketing specialists, recruit retail partners in Germany, launch targeted marketing campaigns, and restructure the sales force. What made this breakthrough possible wasn't just asking "what's the problem?" but focusing on "what would success look like?" Once we defined concrete outcomes - establishing successful retail channels in specific countries - the required actions became obvious. Previously invisible issues surfaced, like needing country-specific retail expertise rather than an enterprise-only approach. The CMO even recalled a potential retail marketing candidate they had previously interviewed. Concrete outcome discussions unlock your team's problem-solving abilities. When discussions remain vague, people stay silent because they don't see how to contribute. When outcomes become specific, team members naturally identify ways they can help. The business development leader recognized Germany's potential, suggesting they prioritize that market first. The CMO remembered a specific candidate with relevant expertise. The key principle is this: strategy must describe what you will do, not just what you hope to achieve. End goals like "improve quality" or "sell higher" don't drive action because they don't specify what to do differently. To break through, ask questions like: "What would it look like if this were working?" "What specifically will change?" "What would we see when we succeed?" Then work backwards to determine necessary actions. Be prepared for conflict when discussions become concrete. It's easier for everyone to agree on vague aspirations than specific changes that affect resources, roles and priorities. But avoiding concrete conversations to avoid conflict means avoiding action altogether. Valor means having the courage to face productive disagreement about what specifically needs to happen.

Chapter 2: Build the Team You Need, Not the One You Have

Transformation requires the right team, and one of my core leadership principles is simple but profound: there is no effective antidote for the wrong team. I learned this through painful experience in multiple leadership roles. When I first studied successful teams, I noticed something remarkable about dog sled teams - when properly assembled, all the ropes are tight, everyone is pulling in the same direction, and the team is literally straining forward, eager to run. This became my metaphor for the right team: when you look at your organization, are all the ropes tight? Are all your team members facing forward, ready and capable to pull their weight? Or are some facing sideways in confusion or backward in resistance? Are roles clear so everyone can run without getting tangled? Is each person genuinely motivated and capable of handling their responsibilities? I faced this challenge dramatically when leading a software business with eight separate business units going to market in parallel. The structure looked reasonable on paper, but customer feedback revealed the dysfunction. Partners would corner me at events saying, "We don't know what to sell - we have one of your business units telling us to sell one thing, and another telling us something completely different." Even more alarming, I overheard salespeople saying, "I've got customers with budget to spend right now, but I don't know what I'm supposed to sell them." Rather than trying to rearrange the existing people, I started with a blank sheet focused on business outcomes. What did we need to accomplish? A single, coherent market strategy; a compelling, unified marketing message; and a consistent approach for our sales force and partners. This meant reorganizing into a single business unit with functional leadership rather than competing business units. The reorganization wasn't easy. I had seven general managers who enjoyed being general managers, and I needed to convince some to take functional leadership roles instead. The key was reframing each position as a new role rather than simply removing someone from their existing job. When describing new positions, I clearly articulated how they differed from past roles, emphasizing increased scope and different responsibilities. This approach allowed difficult conversations to focus on fit for the new role rather than personal performance. Some former GMs recognized that managing an integrated function across the entire business was actually a bigger role than their previous position. Others realized they weren't the right fit and moved to different opportunities. When restructuring, focus on strengths rather than treating people as interchangeable parts. People have unique natural gifts, and aligning roles with those strengths creates magic. The transformation succeeded because the resulting structure clearly matched our mission - everyone could understand it. By starting with outcomes rather than existing personnel, I created an organization truly fit for purpose. Remember that your ideal team is uniquely yours - built to complement your own strengths and weaknesses. As a leader, your job isn't to preserve the organization you have; it's to build the organization you need to drive transformation forward.

Chapter 3: Face Obstacles with Courage and Persistence

Leadership requires valor - the courage to persist through difficulties when everything feels impossible and everyone seems like a shark. I've learned that this feeling isn't a sign you're doing something wrong; it's often confirmation you're doing exactly what leadership demands. The reality is that unreasonable demands, organizational politics, and seemingly impossible challenges are simply part of the job description. One of my most formative leadership experiences came when I was tasked with transforming a 200-person software development organization with a two-year product cycle that was consistently running late. Quality was poor, and morale was even worse. My boss established a ruthless priority: implementing the SEI process framework to improve quality and predictability. This meant putting process ahead of features - the exact opposite of what developers naturally value. The resistance was immediate and fierce. Engineers would come to me daily arguing that process work was killing our competitiveness. Some would try blackmail: "I can finish this on time, but not if I have to fill out these process documents." When I expressed frustration to my boss, he gave me advice I've never forgotten: "Patty, you have to burn the ships at the beach." This metaphor, referencing Hernán Cortés scuttling his ships so his men had to conquer or die, became my guiding principle. I made it absolutely clear there was no turning back to the old way of working. When engineers complained, I acknowledged their frustration but remained unwavering: "I understand, but this is what we're doing, and I'm committed to it." When they escalated to my boss hoping for a different answer, he simply replied, "Process, schedule, features." The transformation wasn't easy, but the results were remarkable. Our cycle time dropped from two years to six months. Quality improved dramatically. Although we lost two top engineers who couldn't adapt, overall morale skyrocketed as people experienced the satisfaction of actually finishing projects. Engineers eventually realized that shorter, predictable cycles allowed them to be more creative and responsive to market feedback. I learned several crucial lessons about valor from this experience. First, say what you mean and defend it consistently, even when it's uncomfortable. Second, guard those doing the right thing - when someone tried to pull my early adopters off course with "urgent" requests, I took ownership of those issues personally rather than undermining their commitment. Third, focus on one transformation at a time - you can only fiercely protect one priority with this level of determination. Most importantly, don't lose your nerve when it feels impossible, and don't get bored or tired of repeating the same message. Your organization needs your consistent support throughout the entire journey. The Middle is where transformation happens, but only if you have the valor to face obstacles head-on and keep moving forward when everyone wants to turn back.

Chapter 4: Create Meaningful Conversation Among Everyone

For transformation to succeed, you must shift from one-way communication to organization-wide conversation. When I advise companies on strategy execution, I often discover that despite leadership teams being aligned, information isn't flowing effectively throughout the organization. I consistently hear the same complaints: "I thought you were doing that" (so tasks get dropped), "I didn't know you were doing that" (so work gets duplicated), or "I don't know what our priorities are" (so the wrong work gets done). A profound example of the power of conversation comes from Utopia Village, a resort in Honduras that achieved exceptional service quality by engaging local staff who had never experienced luxury hospitality. The owners, Paul and Chrisna, faced a daunting transformation challenge: how could they teach world-class service standards to people who had never stayed in a high-end resort? Initially, they communicated four simple service principles - always say yes, pay attention to details, exceed expectations, and always greet guests. But despite nodding in agreement, staff didn't fully implement these ideas. The breakthrough came when guests began posting positive reviews on TripAdvisor. These authentic reactions sparked genuine pride and excitement among staff members who could now see the impact of their work. Building on this momentum, the owners created a WhatsApp group called "Utopia Stars" where staff could share photos and celebrate colleagues doing exceptional work. This platform transformed communication by moving the conversation directly to where it naturally happened among staff. The simple combination of emoji reactions and photos transcended language barriers, creating a powerful sense of community and shared purpose. The results were transformative. Not only did service quality reach exceptional levels, but the staff themselves became the primary advocates for the service standards. As Paul explained, "When we hire new people now, we still share our values, but the current staff shares it on their own. We now have minimal effort compared to initially." The conversation had successfully moved from top-down instruction to peer-to-peer engagement. This principle applies equally in corporate environments. When I led the HP OpenView software business transformation, I knew we were succeeding when a customer accurately described our new strategy to an industry editor, and when a sales engineer in a remote European office presented it flawlessly to a visiting colleague. The conversation was happening whether I was present or not. Creating effective conversation requires understanding a fundamental reality: your broadcast communication has almost nothing to do with whether your message is actually received. The only valid measure of communication effectiveness is whether your audience is discussing it among themselves. Until this happens, your transformation remains fragile and vulnerable to reverting to old patterns. To facilitate meaningful conversation, meet people where they are. Don't force them to adopt unfamiliar communication channels or corporate jargon. Instead, join existing conversations using formats and language that feel natural to them. Most importantly, recognize that meaningful conversation takes time - people need to process information, form their own opinions, and find their personal connection to the change before they can genuinely engage.

Chapter 5: Track Progress with Meaningful Control Points

Execution falters when organizations measure the wrong things. Many leaders settle for tracking activities and details rather than meaningful outcomes. I call this mistake "measuring the process steps, not the outcomes" - and it can completely derail your transformation. I learned this lesson painfully while managing a software development organization. Our product had a terrible user interface, particularly for installation, which required navigating 23 precise steps with no recovery if you made a mistake. When I tried to get our engineering team to fix these problems, they resisted because installation issues were classified as "level 17 bugs" - far below the severity 1 and 2 problems they were measured on fixing. Our metrics focused on bug severity, not customer experience, so engineers could dutifully follow the official measures while avoiding important work. To break through this barrier, I arranged for three top engineers to spend a week shadowing sales engineers who installed the product for customers. When they witnessed firsthand how customers became frustrated and angry with our installation process, they became personally embarrassed. Within two weeks of their return, all the installation problems were fixed - without my having to ask again. Building on this insight, I introduced a new control point metric I called "Fun in 15 minutes." This simple outcome measure meant that customers should be able to have a positive experience within 15 minutes of starting to use our product. Initially, the team insisted this was impossible, but I formed a cross-functional group from engineering, sales, marketing, customer support, documentation, and other departments to define what "Fun in 15 minutes" would look like. This outcome-focused metric drove remarkable progress. Rather than measuring activities like "number of bugs fixed," we measured the actual customer experience - the real outcome we wanted. This approach was inspired by Temple Grandin's work in agriculture. In her book Animals in Translation, she describes how she created a simple animal welfare audit focusing on observable outcomes rather than detailed process steps. Instead of measuring dozens of inputs, she would simply ask: "Are the cows limping?" If they were, the plant failed the audit, and they had to fix the underlying causes - whatever they might be. Effective control points share three characteristics. First, they measure outcomes, not activities. Second, they simplify complexity by focusing on what matters most. Third, they drive action across functional boundaries. When I worked with a company selling point-of-sale technology to retail establishments, we identified "number of successful customer pilots" as our critical control point. This single measure naturally aligned sales teams, product developers, and support staff because success required all groups working together. Another powerful example comes from marketing. Rather than measuring "impressions" (how many people see your ad), which is just a process step, focus on the actual outcome: "How many sales reps report that we are known and preferred when they walk in the door?" This shifts from measuring activity to measuring results that matter. Don't worry if your best control point seems difficult to measure or relies on qualitative feedback. Sometimes anecdotal measures provide more insight than hard data points. The goal is to identify what Temple Grandin called the "limping cows" - those unmistakable signs that something is wrong, regardless of what the detailed metrics might suggest. Remember that measuring process steps alone can actually hide problems. I once reviewed customer satisfaction data showing "all good" for a client, only to discover during lunch that the customer was livid because their fundamental issues had been ignored for months. Our metrics showed support calls being promptly closed, but failed to capture that the underlying problems remained unsolved. Good control points illuminate what matters most.

Chapter 6: Make Your People Feel Like Superheroes

The most powerful way to drive transformation is to build genuine trust by making people feel valued, respected, and capable of extraordinary achievement. Once, I received a message from a former employee that perfectly captured this principle: "Patty, when I worked for you, I thought I was Superman." Those eleven words summarize what being a good leader of a high-performing team means. He continued: "I have occasionally reflected on why that was. Not sure I know all the answers, but the things I do know are that the environment was real, the energy was high, and the crap was low." Creating an environment where people feel amazing unlocks their potential to achieve remarkable results. Building this environment starts with how you wield power. Many executives confuse the power of their role with their personal power - what I call "imagined power." They act in ways that make others feel small to make themselves feel important. This approach is exhausting and ultimately self-defeating. True leadership power comes from empowering others. Early in my career, I had the good fortune to meet mentors who showed me you could be successful by respecting people and sharing power. While some executives succeed as power-hungry bullies, I discovered that building a strong team that feels acknowledged and respected creates more reliable success and gives you more real power in the end. This approach begins with treating people like whole human beings, not resources. I once met an executive who periodically reviewed project plans with his team and invited everyone to add their personal events - weddings, graduations, school plays - to the schedule. This simple practice acknowledged that people have lives that matter outside work, creating fierce loyalty. When I needed this team to stay late on a Friday to handle an emergency, they didn't hesitate, saying simply, "Of course." Another powerful practice is discovering what people truly care about rather than guessing. I once asked an employee in his fifties what was important to him, and he started crying. When I asked what was wrong, he said, "I'm sorry, I was just so surprised by this question because in my entire career, no one has ever asked!" A colleague of mine approaches this by asking team members, "What do you want to be able to have on your resume or tell your friends a year from now?" The answers range from career aspirations to personal goals like running marathons or traveling to exotic locations. Recognition is equally crucial. When someone does extraordinary work and no one notices, it destroys trust not just for that person but for everyone who witnesses the oversight. Create a simple process for anyone to suggest recognition for a colleague, and ensure executives personally acknowledge great work. A handwritten note or personal call from a senior leader makes a lasting impression. The ultimate expression of trust is delegating not just work, but power. Let people make decisions and solve problems their way. As one executive told me, "Hire top people, give them big work, support them, step back, and let them be amazing." When you share power this way, people will move mountains for you. Remember that trust isn't static - you're either actively building it or letting it erode through inaction. Even if you're not doing anything harmful, failing to invest in trust-building allows it to bleed out of your organization. Without trust, people won't feel safe to engage, innovate, or care deeply about quality and timeliness. With trust, they'll work harder, move faster, think more creatively, and treat customers better. They'll stay with you through the uncertain Middle of your transformation journey. They will MOVE.

Summary

Moving your organization forward through the challenging middle phase of transformation requires a comprehensive approach. As we've explored, success depends on defining concrete outcomes, building the right team, facing obstacles with courage, creating meaningful conversations, establishing relevant control points, and making people feel valued and powerful. The transformative principle that echoes throughout is that "you can lead a transformation from the top, but you can't do a transformation from the top." Engaging everyone is essential. Today, identify one concrete outcome you need to achieve in your transformation journey. Rather than focusing on the end goal, define specifically what success looks like at the midpoint, then work backward to determine what must happen in the next 30 days. Share this vision not through one-way communication but by starting meaningful conversations that allow your team to develop their own personal connection to the change. Remember, you'll know your transformation is succeeding when you're no longer the only one talking about it.

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Patty Azzarello

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