Why Strategic Plans Fail | Execution Breaks When Culture, Metrics, and Ownership Aren’t Aligned

Описание: Welcome to OneAccord, where we help leadership teams bridge the gap between strategy and execution so organizations can perform with clarity, accountability, and lasting impact.

In this episode, Michael Kadel breaks down a hard truth leaders across industries are confronting: most strategic plans never make it to full execution. Research shared in this conversation highlights that a large percentage of organizations build strategic plans, but 60 to 90 percent fail to fully launch them, and 90 percent are not fully executed.

This isn’t a planning problem.
It’s an execution problem.

Michael walks through what causes execution breakdowns and what high-performing organizations do differently, including how to connect strategy to culture, operational systems, and measurable performance indicators.

Key themes covered in this discussion:

Strategy cannot be treated like an annual event -
Strategic plans should function as living documents that drive real action, not a check-the-box exercise.

The execution gap is predictable -
Organizations often struggle because priorities are unclear, ownership is missing, and plans don’t translate into frontline action.

Culture drives execution -
Culture shapes behavior, behavior drives execution, and misaligned culture can undermine strategy even when the plan looks strong on paper.

Customers must be a strategic north star -
OneAccord’s approach emphasizes incorporating the “voice of the customer” into planning through structured interviews that reveal what truly creates loyalty and differentiation.

Boards should be leveraged as force multipliers -
Rather than treating the board as a compliance layer, Michael outlines how boards can support accountability, remove bottlenecks, and enable stronger execution cadence.

Metrics must align with strategy -
When KPIs don’t match strategic priorities, teams optimize the wrong things. Michael shares examples of how misaligned metrics create confusion and stall progress.

Capital and risk appetite must support the plan -
Execution must live inside financial realities. Strategic priorities should align with capital structure, risk tolerance, and regulatory expectations to ensure growth is sustainable and fundable.

This conversation is for leaders who are tired of producing plans that don’t move the organization and are ready to build execution systems that create real outcomes.

About Michael Kadel:

Michael Kadel is a strategic planning and execution leader focused on connecting culture, operations, and performance to drive measurable results.

If you want to build value built on values and create a company that executes with clarity, OneAccord can help.

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