Identifying Gaps in Change Execution

What tool sets Architects apart? In the fast-paced world of Enterprise and Technology Architecture, clarity isn't just beneficial—it's indispensable. Architects often juggle numerous priorities, complex systems, and ambitious strategic goals. But how can we bridge the present realities and future aspirations of an organization seamlessly and efficiently? Enter the GAP Analysis. 🌉 It is easy to underestimate the power of a GAP Analysis. Yet it is precisely this step that can turn ambiguity into clarity and aspirations into actionable roadmaps. Consider the typical journey: You start with a Current State Analysis. This vital first step establishes a factual baseline—a clear-eyed, unbiased view of where your organization stands today. 📍 Without this grounded perspective, any strategy risks being disconnected from reality. Next comes the Future State Analysis, a compelling vision aligned closely with strategic ambitions. This vision is your north star 🌟, the target state that drives alignment, investment, and enthusiasm within your teams. Yet, despite having a clear current state and an inspiring future state, organizations often stall. They face the daunting question: "How exactly do we get there?" 🤔 This is where the GAP Analysis shines. The GAP Analysis is not just about identifying differences—it's about uncovering hidden opportunities and strategic insights. It answers critical questions: 🆕 What capabilities do we need to enhance or develop? ⏹️ What obstacles are preventing us from reaching our envisioned future? ➡️ Where are the quick wins, and where should we invest for long-term impact? As architects, using GAP Analysis means taking a proactive role, turning what might otherwise be perceived as gaps or shortcomings into strategic levers. This analytical technique becomes a bridge, transforming aspiration into achievable steps, clarity into strategy, and ultimately, strategy into execution. And finally, armed with these insights, creating your Roadmap becomes not just simpler, but far more impactful. Each initiative on your roadmap now clearly connects current realities with future possibilities, powered by insightful GAP Analysis findings. 🚀 In short, GAP Analysis is not merely a technical step—it's an essential strategic practice. It elevates the role of the architect, positioning you not just as a passive analyst, but as an active shaper of your organization's future. Have you leveraged GAP Analysis recently in your organization or architecture practice? I'd love to hear your experiences and thoughts in the comments below. 💬 #enterprisearchitcture #enterprisearchitecture40 #GAPanalysis

Most strategies don’t fail in design. They fail in delivery. Execution fails when capacity is overlooked. Here's how to close the gap. Everyday, companies roll out financial strategies—yet no one has asked: “Can our finance team actually execute this?” “Do we have the skillset? The systems? The capacity?” As a finance consultant, I help teams align capabilities with vision, so for me, execution isn’t an afterthought. I've seen many strategies created in a vacuum detached from the team. And when the strategy fails, leaders blame execution, but not the lack of readiness. Here’s the truth about strategy and execution: If you’re not assessing your finance team’s capacity before launching —you’re setting them up to fail. If you’re not budgeting for upskilling and support—you’re ignoring the most predictable gap in performance. Here's steps to take BEFORE developing a new strategy 1) Ask: • Do we have the systems in place to track and report performance? • Is our team confident analyzing and communicating financial insight? • Do we understand our cash flow and cost structures? • Can we tie financial decisions to the strategic outcomes we want? 2) Build with the team you HAVE— budget for the team you NEED. • If there’s a skills gap—own it. • Build it into your plan and budget for training. 3) Ensure accurate data and systems are in place. • What is the current data landscape (internal and external sources)? • Are we focusing on the most relevant KPIs? • Do we have a data governance framework, and internal controls? • Do we have the technology and tools to integrate financial data with operational metrics, optimize the value chain, and build effective financial models.  When you make your next major business decision, don’t just ask, “What’s the plan?” Ask: “Do we have the capacity to deliver it?” Please share your thoughts in the comments. Follow me, Beverly Davis for more finance insights. Need help with a financial strategy, DM me.

Leadership at the highest level isn’t about giving answers—it’s about asking the right questions. When you lead people who are already highly skilled, highly experienced, and operating at scale, your role shifts from directive to diagnostic. The truth is that every team, every leader, every organization is operating with a gap. Some lack education. They don’t yet have the frameworks, the playbooks, the context to execute at the level required. Some lack execution. They know what to do—but the work isn’t translating into outcomes because systems, focus, or prioritization are missing. Some lack consistency. They can perform—but they can’t sustain it, because there’s no cadence or culture that reinforces the habits. Coaching leadership leans into the lack, not away from it. The most effective leaders don’t treat it as a personal flaw, rather they see it as an indicator, a signal. They ask: Is this a knowledge gap? → Then teach. Is this an execution gap? → Then build systems. Is this a sustainability gap? → Then create rhythms and support structures. When you coach from this perspective, you’re not just solving surface-level issues—you’re addressing root causes. This is why enterprise coaching is not about control. It’s about: ✔️ Identifying what’s missing ✔️ Equipping your team to close the gap ✔️ Building an environment where the right performance becomes inevitable High-impact leaders don’t just demand results. They develop them. They build teams who can self-correct, self-direct, and sustain performance at scale. Which gap do you see most often—education, execution, or consistency? Let’s talk coaching frameworks that turn lack into leverage. #CoachingLeadership #EnterprisePerformance #StrategicExecution #CLevelLeadership #LeadershipSystems

Numbers don’t lie: 67 percent of strategic initiatives fail due to weak execution. Many organizations excel at planning but fall short when it comes to execution. The biggest culprits? Leadership gaps, poor alignment with operations, and ineffective monitoring. Too often, businesses mistake task completion for success instead of focusing on long-term impact. Here’s where execution fails:  - Strategy and operations remain disconnected, leading to misaligned priorities.   - Initiatives lack proper funding and resources.   - Companies fail to monitor, learn, and adapt.   - Resistance to change prevents sustainable progress.  Execution isn’t just about getting things done—it’s about getting the right things done in a way that drives real business results. Strengthening leadership commitment, linking strategy to budgets, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement are key to turning plans into outcomes.  How does your organization approach execution? Would love to hear your thoughts.  P.S. If you like content like this, please follow me.

This is the costliest mistake you can make in business! Can you guess it? It is when you solve the wrong problem. A client once told me:"We need a new business strategy to scale faster." It sounded logical, rethink the model, expand aggressively, and capture more market share. But instead of diving into strategy decks and frameworks, I asked: "What’s holding back your current strategy?" That’s when the real challenge surfaced. It wasn’t about needing a new strategy, it was about execution gaps in the existing one. ❌ Lack of alignment: Teams were moving in different directions with no clear priorities. ❌ No execution framework: Ideas were great, but they weren’t translating into results. ❌ Scaling too soon: Processes were broken, and growth was creating chaos instead of efficiency. Their real problem wasn’t a weak strategy. It was poor execution and lack of operational readiness. Rewriting the strategy wouldn’t fix that. But getting the right systems, accountability, and execution mindset in place would. Diagnose Before You Pivot. ✅ Ask the right questions: Is it the strategy that’s broken, or how it’s executed? ✅ Focus on alignment: Does every level of the business understand and drive the strategy? ✅ Reframe the challenge: Are we changing direction unnecessarily, or fixing the real execution gaps? Great leaders don’t just chase new strategies, they ensure the right ones are executed well. Before you pivot, pause. Dig deeper. The strategy might not be the problem, it might be how it’s being applied. Ever seen businesses chase strategy changes when the real issue was execution? What did you do at that moment? #leadership #research #storytelling #mindset

A strategy isn't a detailed plan. It’s a framework that guides action. Stephen Bungay's insights I included in "Escaping the Build Trap" highlight this well. When companies treat strategy like a fixed plan, they often miss the mark. Here are three common gaps that cause misalignment: 1️⃣ Knowledge Gap This is the difference between what management wants to know and what the company actually knows. Too often, we try to fill this gap with more detailed information, but it usually leads to overload. If you find yourself overwhelmed, remember: you're not alone. I've seen even CEOs admit, "That's me!" 2️⃣ Alignment Gap This happens when actions don't align with management’s goals. Instead of micromanaging, allow teams to define how they'll achieve objectives. This empowers teams and aligns them more closely with company goals. 3️⃣ Effects Gap The gap between expected and actual results. When results fall short, the instinct is to impose more controls. Instead, allow teams the freedom to adjust and innovate because this flexibility is where true progress happens. To address these gaps, change your focus. Instead of micromanaging teams, empower them to achieve results, something Bungay sees as essential to scaling. It all starts with leadership alignment. Without it, the lack of focus trickles down to teams, leading to missed goals and confusion. But when you close the gaps, everything changes. Teams move with purpose. And you’re not just shipping features, you’re delivering real value. Let’s aim for clarity, not just motion. How do you ensure your strategy turns into action? Share your experiences in the comments! 👇 P.S. If you want to level up your Strategy game, go to productinstitute(dot)com and check our new Product Institute course “Mastering Product Strategy”!

Struggling to implement your nonprofit organization's strategic plan, and not sure where to start? Focus on the next 3 steps. Let’s say your plan includes this goal: Strengthen program impact measurement. If you already have a Theory of Change (TOC), that gives you a starting point. If not, use the TOC + Logic Model Mashup Canvas (hopefully the creators of the logic model and TOC don't mind my version) to help you take action. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝟯 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 (𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲): 1. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝟯 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲     • Look at your current interventions and who you're reaching. • Look at: What knowledge, skills, or behavior changes do we want to see? These short-term results connect your interventions to long-term impact (social, civic, economic...). 2. 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁. • Pinpoint where you already capture data. (Grant reports, intake data, partner surveys...). • Pull in impact data or "compelling statistics" you can piggyback on. 3. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝟰𝟱-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽𝘀 – Bring the canvas to the table. As a team, explore: • Where are we assuming change, but not tracking it? Highlight where you don’t have evidence that your work is driving change. • Which key activities are disconnected from our long-term civic, social, or economic impact? • What’s missing from the picture? So that you get to: • What’s one action we can take next quarter to close our data gap, w͟i͟t͟h͟i͟n͟ ͟c͟u͟r͟r͟e͟n͟t͟l͟y͟ ͟a͟v͟a͟i͟l͟a͟b͟l͟e͟ ͟r͟e͟s͟o͟u͟r͟c͟e͟s͟?͟ ͟B͟o͟n͟u͟s͟ ͟i͟f͟ ͟y͟o͟u͟ ͟u͟s͟e͟ ͟d͟a͟t͟a͟ ͟c͟o͟l͟l͟e͟c͟t͟i͟o͟n͟ ͟p͟o͟i͟n͟t͟s͟ ͟y͟o͟u͟ ͟a͟l͟r͟e͟a͟d͟y͟ ͟h͟a͟v͟e͟.͟ ͟ There's your starting plan. You clear way to connect what you’re doing to why it matters. And action your strategic plan. Repeat as needed. So you can build clarity, direction, and momentum. You've got this!