The Real Problem with Execution: Why You’re Failing to Reach Your Most Important Targets

“To achieve a goal you have never achieved before, you must start doing things you have never done before.”

Whether it’s a new sales approach, an effort to improve client satisfaction, or better project management discipline, change is uncomfortable.

When your goal requires people to do things differently, you’re driving a behavioral-change strategy—and that’s where it gets tough.

Ever found yourself frustrated, muttering on your way to work, “Can’t we just get this one thing right?”

If so, you know how it feels when the inability to drive change is the one thing standing between you and your targets.

Why Execution Breaks Down

When you look at why execution fails, you’ll see some consistent patterns. And the biggest one is this:

Leaders often assume the people are the problem. It’s natural to think, “If only Tom, Paul, or Sue would get on board, we’d hit our targets.” But that’s a trap.

The reality is that your people aren’t the problem.

If execution is breaking down, it’s because your system isn’t set up to support the change you’re trying to drive.

As a leader, you own that system.

And if you’re blaming your team, you’re actually becoming a victim to your own system, letting it control you rather than reinforcing and adapting it to achieve your goals.

The Trap of Blaming Your Team

Leaders who constantly point fingers at their team for poor results are failing to see the bigger picture.

Your job is to create a system that drives results—not to blame the people who are trying to navigate it.

When you fail to take responsibility for the system, you’re not only offloading your power, you’re also signaling that you’re not fully in control.

That’s a recipe for stagnation and frustration.

? Clarity: Do Your People Actually Know the Goal?

When we started looking into execution breakdowns, we quickly found that clarity was often the first missing piece.

A surprising number of employees simply don’t know what they’re working toward.

In fact, only about 15% of people could name even one of their organization’s top goals.

How can you expect people to deliver on a target they can’t even name?

To break out of this, you need to ensure your team is crystal clear on the objective. This isn’t about generic mission statements or lofty ideals.

It’s about specific, actionable goals that everyone can articulate and understand. Without clarity, people end up working at cross-purposes, and your results suffer.

? Commitment: Are They Truly Bought In?

Knowing the goal is one thing; being committed to it is another.

Research has showed that just over half of employees actually feel invested in their team’s objectives. The rest? They're simply going through the motions.

If your team isn’t bought in, it’s time to ask some tough questions.

? Are you communicating why this goal matters?

? Are you showing them how it connects to their own success and fulfillment?

Commitment isn’t something you can force. It has to be built through trust, transparency, and a shared vision of success.

? Accountability: Do They Know What to Do?

Here’s another finding—81% of people aren’t held accountable for regular progress on their organization’s goals. And for those who are, many don’t have a clear sense of what they need to do to actually achieve those goals.

Accountability means more than checking boxes; it means creating a culture where people are responsible for measurable progress.

If you want better execution, you need to translate your goals into specific, actionable tasks and make sure each person knows what’s expected.

Then, check in regularly—not to micromanage, but to provide support, celebrate wins, and course-correct as needed.

Focus on Systems, Not People

When execution breaks down, the easy answer is to blame the people.

But the hard truth is that if the majority of your team isn’t getting results, it’s because the system you’ve set up isn’t working.

It’s not about whether your team members are good or bad, motivated or lazy—it’s about whether your system is setting them up for success.

If you want to improve execution, you need to look beyond individual performance and start examining how your systems support—or undermine—your goals. This includes everything from how you communicate objectives to how you measure progress and provide feedback.

Stop Waiting for Change—Drive It

The only way to create sustainable change is to take ownership. Stop waiting for your team to magically align with your vision. They need you to step up and lead. This means reinforcing your system, ensuring clarity at every level, and building a culture of accountability and commitment.

Start by asking yourself:

• Where is my system failing to support the team?
• Are my goals specific and clear to everyone involved?
• How can I foster commitment and accountability in a way that drives results?

Success isn’t about luck or waiting for the right people to come along. It’s about creating a system where execution isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable.

You have the power to change the way your team operates. But it starts with you deciding to own the system, instead of being owned by it.

Take ownership. Reinforce your system. And watch as your team delivers results that seemed impossible before.

Be Unshakeable,

Satori Mateu