Are You Activating Strategy or Just Talking About It?

3 Key Take-aways:

1.?????? Strategy goes beyond execution; it requires activation.

2.?????? Local leadership matters more than you think.

3.?????? Actions speak louder than words—show, don’t tell.

I recently read Alex Nesbitt’s newsletter on “The Art of Strategy Activation,” and it got me thinking. The concept of strategy activation goes deeper than just setting plans in motion. It’s not about rolling out a carefully crafted strategy and expecting things to fall into place. Strategy activation is about creating the conditions that bring your strategy to life.

Strategy activation is the art and science of engaging individuals within an organization to align around a shared vision, facilitating their adoption of new behaviors and practices that bring the strategy to life rather than merely executing it as a static set of instructions. In this article, I’m sharing my key takeaways and personal interpretation of how strategy gets activated in the messy, real world—by aligning energy, leadership, and action.

Activating Strategy, Not Just Executing It

We’ve all heard the saying: “Communication is key!” For a long time, I lived by that mantra. But over the years, I’ve realized that execution alone doesn’t get a strategy going. Talking about strategy is easy. What’s hard—and what actually matters—is activating strategy in a way that gets people to move. And that’s the secret. You don’t “execute” strategy; you activate it.

Why Execution Often Fails

The word "execution" makes it sound like we’re running a well-oiled machine, where all the parts just need to be told what to do. Organizations are composed of people, each with their own values, perspectives, and motivations. This makes strategy execution a lot messier than we often acknowledge. When strategy is treated as a rigid, top-down directive, it overlooks the human element—the very thing that drives success. Activation is important because it acknowledges that people must buy into the strategy emotionally and intellectually. When individuals are engaged, empowered, and aligned with the vision, they contribute more meaningfully and authentically. This is where real change happens. It’s the difference between compliance and commitment. Without this level of activation, strategies often remain theoretical and fail to translate into impactful, long-term outcomes.

You’ve probably seen it before: the leadership team spends months (or even years) crafting a beautifully polished strategy. It gets presented to the company with a lot of fanfare, fancy slides, and a catchy slogan. But then… crickets. Sure, people nod along in meetings, and you get some headway, but the momentum fizzles. Why? Because the strategy never leaves the PowerPoint deck. The strategy is “communicated,” but it’s not activated.

Activating Strategy with Action

What does strategy activation look like in practice? It means breathing life into the plan by energizing your team, making it real for them, and driving action. For this to happen, three principles need to be in place:

Everybody Has a Different Starting Point

People across your organization are in different places mentally and emotionally when it comes to your strategy. You’ll have some eager adopters ready to run with the plan, but many will be hesitant or even resistant. The key is recognizing that not everyone is at the same starting line.

Local Leadership Has More Influence Than You Think

Your real influencers aren’t sitting in the C-suite. They’re the managers and team leads on the ground, the people who control what happens day-to-day. These local leaders are the ones who can make or break your strategy.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

This one is huge. Words are cheap. You can talk about strategy until you’re blue in the face, but if no one sees it in action, they won’t believe it. You need to show people what the strategy looks like in practice, not just tell them.

Let’s break this down with two real-world examples: Nike and Starbucks.

Example 1: Nike—“Just Do It” as a Movement

Nike doesn’t just talk about strategy—they are actively creating a movement. With the Just Do It campaign, they aren’t simply selling shoes; they are selling an entire mindset of pushing limits and embracing challenges. Nike understands that their strategy needs to resonate personally with both customers and employees.

Rather than just communicating a marketing plan, they get people—inside and outside the company—acting. Leaders across stores adopt this ethos, and employees aren’t just selling products; they are embracing a lifestyle. This activation of strategy is what continually transforms Nike into a global powerhouse, as they align their internal and external messages with action.

Strategy activation requires more than leadership buy-in. It’s about embedding the strategy in how people behave, day in and day out.

Example 2: Starbucks—Activating Strategy in Local Communities

Starbucks continues to excel at strategy activation. Their strategy isn’t just about selling coffee; it’s about creating “third spaces”—places between home and work where people can gather, relax, and build community. They recognize that this vision can’t be achieved through top-down directives alone. Instead, they empower store managers to lead the way.

Local leadership is key to Starbucks’ ongoing success. Each manager is tasked with activating the strategy by making their store the heart of the community. From customizing store layouts to getting involved in local events, these managers are the linchpins of the strategy. Their actions bring Starbucks’ vision to life in ways that corporate messaging alone can’t achieve.

When strategy is activated through local leadership, it evolves from being a corporate mandate into a movement that people believe in and act on.

Strategy Activation Brings Strategy to Life

The real power of strategy doesn’t come from telling people what to do. It comes from giving them the tools, the energy, and the freedom to bring the strategy to life in their own way. When you shift your mindset from “execution” to “activation,” you transform how your organization works.

• Start where people are: Recognize that not everyone is on board from day one, and that’s okay. Tailor your messaging to different groups, acknowledging their concerns and motivations.
• Leverage local leadership: Your managers and team leads hold the real power. They’re the ones who will either activate the strategy or let it die on the vine. Get them involved, listen to their ideas, and give them ownership of the process.
• Let actions speak: Pilots, prototypes, and small wins are your best friends. Show people what the strategy looks like in action, and let the results convince them. When people see the benefits in real time, they’ll get on board faster.

Show, Don’t Tell

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s this: Strategy isn’t something you execute. It’s something you activate. If you want to drive real change, don’t just talk about strategy—make it happen. Actions speak louder than words; when you empower your leaders and teams to bring strategy to life, the results speak for themselves.

To build on this, you can complement your strategy activation with feedback loops. As your team begins to implement and act on the strategy, consistently check in to see what’s working and what isn’t. This iterative approach allows you to refine your strategy in real-time, staying flexible and adaptive as the business environment changes.

Learning can involve exploring agile frameworks that encourage continuous adaptation. Remember, activation is just the start. Keeping the momentum through learning and adjusting ensures that your strategy remains alive and relevant.

By treating strategy as a living, evolving entity rather than a static plan, you ensure its long-term success. Let strategy unfold through real-life actions, leadership efforts, and continuous refinement. When done right, it doesn’t just change your organization—it creates a movement. Now’s the time to ask yourself—are you activating your strategy or just talking about it?