How to NOT Execute Your Strategy (and what to do about it)

Hosted by Tim Ohai

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Apr 2026

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About the show

“…on average, 95% of a company’s employees are unaware of, or do not understand, its strategy” (From Harvard Business Review, October, 2005, by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton) Which begs the question: If so many people are not following the actual strategy, what are they executing? The simple answer is that they are making up their own strategies. Or worse, they are undoing the original strategy. Come listen as we dive into the biggest lessons learned from the people who own strategic execution – the senior leaders who live in the center of it.

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46 recent

April 23, 20269 min

Change Management Is a Scam... Part 2

Most leaders say people resist change. That’s wrong. What people resist is confusion, broken execution, and strategies that were never ready to be launched.If execution is clear, resourced, and disciplined, engagement is not something you have to manage. It becomes the natural outcome.In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:Why resistance is a symptom, not the problemWhere execution actually breaks down before change is announcedHow clarity and empowerment eliminate the need to “sell” changeWhy leaders—not HR—own engagementSubscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

April 22, 202612 min

Change Management Is a Scam... Part 1

Are you being gaslighted at work?Most “change management” programs are fixing the wrong problem.Leaders don’t have a change problem - they have an execution problem. And it’s not the team’s responsibility to fix that.Because when execution works… change is just something we do.In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:The three questions every leader must answer before announcing change.How to create clarity fast.How to radically drive empowerment into your execution.Subscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

April 22, 202610 min

Why Most Strategies Fail (And How to Fix It)

Will your strategy fail?Most strategies don’t fail in the boardroom. They fail in the handoff.Not because the strategy was flawed - but because the risks after the strategy launches are ignored. They show up in missed goals, confused teams, and wasted momentum.The good news? They’re all avoidable - if we’re willing to lead differently.In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:The 4 biggest risks that quietly sabotage execution - and how to beat them.Plus: real-world best practice examples from Salesforce, Amazon, Microsoft, and Ford.Subscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

April 22, 202611 min

Leadership Without Empowerment: What No One Tells You

Feeling the pressure… but not making progress?You’re not alone.Everywhere I go, leaders are stuck in the same pattern:Budgets are tighter Decision-making is slowerEmpowerment is shrinkingAnd yet… the expectations haven’t changed. You’re still supposed to deliver. Still supposed to lead. Still supposed to make it work. So here’s the real question: What if the problem isn’t what you don’t have… But what you’re not doing with what you’ve got?In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:The silent trap even senior leaders are falling intoWhy most teams feel stuck (and don’t even realize it)Three strategic actions that will get you moving againSubscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

April 22, 202610 min

The Real Reason Leaders Plateau - and How to Break Through

Are you good... or GREAT?Most leaders hit a ceiling - not because they lack ambition, but because they ignore what actually drives execution.Watch this breakdown of what separates good leaders from great ones - especially when pressure hits. And see if YOU are great.In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:What great leaders do before execution startsWhy most leaders mishandle disruption—and how to fix itHow to stop stress from sabotaging your decisionsSubscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

March 31, 202610 min

The Real Reason Training Doesn't Work

Most corporate training is a WASTE.Not because employees are unwilling to learn… But because leaders are solving the wrong problem.The real issue? Execution is broken. And training can’t fix that. Here’s the good news: There is a better way.In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:The 5 real reasons execution breaks downHow to diagnose the right problem before launching trainingWhat effective, execution-driven learning actually looks likeSubscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

March 31, 20269 min

Hustle Culture Will Destroy you

Grinding isn’t just unsustainable - it’s ineffective. And it’s killing real performance.Most leaders I know feel stuck in the grind. But few know how to escape it.In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:Why hustle culture is slowing you downWhat the science of flow teaches us about real performanceHow clarity and simplicity unlock momentumWhat elite performers do differently to sustain resultsSubscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

March 31, 202611 min

Are You an AI-Ready Leader?

AI is rewriting the rules for leadership - and we honestly aren’t prepared for it.From CEOs overhauling their operating models to AI outperforming entire functions, this isn’t just a tech trend - it’s a leadership reckoning.In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:Why “change management” isn’t enough- disruption is the new normWhy ethics - not logic - must guide your decision-makingHow knowledge is being commoditized - and what to replace it withWhat the real performance differentiator will be in the AI eraSubscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

March 31, 20269 min

How AI Will Affect You THIS Year

AI isn’t coming. It’s already here. And if you’re not engaging it aggressively, you’re falling behind.From CEOs restructuring entire operating models to AI replacing entire job categories, this isn’t just a tech shift. It’s a leadership reckoning.In this special episode pulled from his YouTube channel, Author and Fortune 500 consultant Tim Ohai shares his insights on:What Fortune 500 companies are actually doing with AI right nowWhy AI is 100% eliminating - not just changing - jobsThe rise of the “SuperWorker” and how roles are being redefined3 massive obstacles that will kill any AI strategy if left unresolved The real leadership challenge behind the AI revolutionSubscribe for more insight on high-performance leadership, strategy execution, and navigating disruption with clarity.Everything looks great on paper… until people get involved.Bonus: Check out my book, The Zen of Strategic Execution (an Amazon best Seller), at timohai.com/zen now.

April 30, 202532 min

How to Respond When Things Go Wrong

What do you do when the plan falls apart?In this episode of “How to NOT Execute Your Strategy,” the legendary author and executive advisor, Brent Adamson (ever heard of The Challenger Sale or The Challenger Customer?), unpacks a truth most leaders avoid: True leadership isn’t about having the perfect plan. It’s about who we become when the plan shatters.This conversation gets real about fear, decision-making, and how confidence separates great leaders from the rest.You’ll hear stories, personal lessons, and a fresh take on what it really means to lead through uncertainty. Buckle up – it’s a wild ride…Listen to this conversation now. And you can find the show notes and leader guide here: https://timohai.com/how-to-respond-when-things-go-wrongBonus: Check out my new book (an Amazon best Seller) at timohai.com/zen now.