In today’s complex and resource-constrained environment, having a bold vision is no longer enough. Whether you’re leading a major university system, scaling a mission-driven EdTech firm, or aligning teams across an academic consortium, strategy must translate into execution — with discipline, clarity, and purpose.
One of the key lessons I’ve learned throughout my career in higher education and business is this: the real differentiator isn’t having a great plan — it’s building the momentum to deliver it. That requires clear priorities, team alignment, and relentless follow-through.
Often in higher education, we suffer from what can be called “strategic spread”—too many initiatives without focused ownership or measurable milestones. The result? Execution fatigue, loss of trust, and missed opportunities for transformational impact. In my experience leading institutional partnerships, overseeing $200M+ portfolios, and supporting research universities and EdTech innovators, the highest-performing teams operationalize strategy with three consistent behaviors:
Clarity of Commitments: Successful execution begins by ruthlessly narrowing the focus. A strategic plan with 15 priorities is not a strategy — it’s a wish list. Institutions that succeed define 3–5 critical goals and then assign ownership, timelines, and clear metrics of success. This is especially vital in a post-pandemic era where institutions are being asked to do more with less.
Cadence of Accountability: Strategy cannot live in a binder. It must be activated through regular check-ins, structured feedback loops, and transparent progress tracking. In my leadership work, I’ve seen remarkable gains when senior teams use monthly execution reviews and dashboards to stay on track — particularly across distributed or hybrid work environments.
Cultural Reinforcement: Great execution is never just about systems. It’s also about culture. Institutions that thrive have leadership teams that model commitment, celebrate wins (even small ones), and learn quickly from failure. Execution becomes not just a phase of strategy — but a mindset.
For higher education leaders navigating digital transformation, fiscal uncertainty, and shifting learner expectations, execution is no longer just an operational issue — it is a strategic advantage. We must teach our teams how to move from strategic intent to strategic impact, while fostering a culture where action, agility, and alignment are the norm.
If we want meaningful innovation in higher education, we must shift from idea generation to disciplined delivery. That’s where transformation takes root — not in the strategic plan, but in the daily execution of what truly matters.
Recommended Readings:
Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, Jim Huling – The 4 Disciplines of Execution (2021)
This updated edition of this best-selling framework emphasizes how organizations can close the gap between strategy and results by focusing on wildly important goals (WIGs), lead measures, scoreboards, and accountability rhythms.
Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan – Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done (2009)
A foundational read on the importance of aligning people, strategy, and operations. It underscores how leaders can build a culture of execution by modeling follow-through and reinforcing personal accountability at every level.
Martin Reeves & Kevin Whitaker – “How to Ensure That Your Strategy Delivers” (Harvard Business Review, 2023)
This article explores the execution challenge in dynamic environments, offering a strategy-to-impact diagnostic that helps leaders identify where their organization is faltering — from misaligned incentives to insufficient feedback loops.
