{"id":2321,"date":"2026-04-14T17:17:50","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T17:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/?p=2321"},"modified":"2026-04-15T10:13:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T10:13:40","slug":"from-strategy-tracking-to-strategy-stewardship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/from-strategy-tracking-to-strategy-stewardship\/","title":{"rendered":"From Strategy Tracking to Strategy Stewardship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From Strategy Tracking to Strategy Stewardship<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Most organisations don\u2019t struggle to define strategy. They struggle to stay connected to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Objectives are agreed. KPIs are defined. Initiatives are launched. Performance is reviewed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But over time, things drift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Measures get reported, but not challenged<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Actions get tracked, but not always prioritised<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risks are logged, but not always understood in context<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reviews happen, but decisions don\u2019t always follow<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The machinery is there. The connection isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Better Way to Run the Management System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many organisations are now investing in platforms that bring structure to how they manage performance and execution. At their best, these platforms connect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>objectives, measures, actions and risks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>management cadence and review cycles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>performance visibility across the organisation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of assembling information meeting by meeting, organisations can begin to operate a persistent management system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That matters because it replaces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>fragmented spreadsheets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>disconnected reporting packs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>manually assembled updates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>narrative-driven decision making<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>with something more structured, more visible, and more consistent. But in doing so, it also exposes a deeper issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Gap It Reveals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even with a well-structured management system in place, the same questions keep surfacing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>what actually matters most across the enterprise?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>who owns the outcomes we care about?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>where are the real decisions made?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how are trade-offs resolved across competing demands?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how does this connect to board oversight?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Because improving how information is tracked and reviewed does not, on its own, define:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>how decisions are made<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>who is accountable for them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how governance operates across the organisation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the difference between a system that tracks activity\u2026 and a system that enables decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When a Management System Isn\u2019t Enough<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Used well, modern management platforms can significantly improve how teams operate. But without a wider system around them, they tend to settle into a familiar pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They become:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>well-organised reporting environments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>efficient ways to track actions and performance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>locally useful, but not always connected to enterprise priorities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In short: A well-run system\u2026 but not a decision-making system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From Management System to Strategy System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To close that gap, organisations need more than tooling. They need a clear system for how decisions are made and sustained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A complete strategy system brings together four distinct layers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Governance and decision model<br>What matters, who is accountable, and how trade-offs are made<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Information backbone<br>Shared, traceable data &#8211; objectives, measures, constraints, dependencies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Management system<br>Where performance, actions and risk are tracked, and management cadence is run<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Delivery systems<br>Projects, products and operations that execute the work<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Most organisations have elements of each. Few connect them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Role of Business Integrated Governance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where Business Integrated Governance comes in. BIG defines how the organisation operates as a connected system of decision-making, linking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>purpose, vision and strategy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>objectives and performance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>risk and uncertainty<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>delivery across BAU, value creation and change<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>governance bodies, management teams and assurance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It establishes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>clear ownership of objectives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>structured governance forums<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>consistent information requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>alignment from board to delivery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In doing so, it turns disconnected activities into a coherent operating system for the organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where This Needs to Land<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not a problem that sits neatly within one function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Strategy teams define direction<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PMOs manage delivery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finance allocates budgets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk and governance provide oversight<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But the challenge sits between them. It shows up when organisations need to make real trade-offs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>between operational performance and transformation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>between short-term pressure and long-term value<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>between competing objectives across different parts of the business<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>That is why this conversation rarely lands fully with any single function. In practice, it tends to resonate most with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>COOs, who are accountable for how the organisation actually operates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CFOs, who must ensure that resources are allocated to the right priorities and can evidence value<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And it becomes most relevant at a specific moment: the run-up to business planning and resource allocation cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because that is when the organisation is forced to answer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>what matters most?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>what will we fund?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>what will we not do?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Without a clear system, these decisions are often:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>implicit rather than explicit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>negotiated rather than structured<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>difficult to trace or defend<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A connected governance and management system changes that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It allows organisations to move from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>budget allocation as negotiation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>resource allocation as a governed, evidence-based process<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bringing It Together<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The opportunity is not to choose between governance and tooling. It is to connect them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>governance defines how the system works<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>management platforms help run that system day to day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Together, they enable:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>clearer prioritisation of what matters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>better visibility of performance and risk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>more consistent decision-making<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>stronger alignment between strategy and delivery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the shift from: <strong>tracking strategy\u2026 to actively stewarding it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Addendum &#8211; The Actio Perspective (for collaboration\/editing)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Platforms like Actio sit squarely in the management system layer described above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"781\" height=\"588\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3.png?resize=781%2C588&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3.png?w=781&amp;ssl=1 781w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3.png?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3.png?resize=768%2C578&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3.png?resize=100%2C75&amp;ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3.png?resize=480%2C361&amp;ssl=1 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width:767px) 480px, (max-width:781px) 100vw, 781px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>They are designed to help organisations run their strategy on a day-to-day basis by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>structuring objectives, measures, actions and risks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>enabling consistent management cadence and review cycles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>providing visibility of performance and delivery across the organisation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In practice, this addresses one of the most persistent operational challenges: the effort required to assemble, reconcile and present information for decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By creating a single, structured environment, platforms like Actio reduce that friction and allow management teams to focus more on interpreting and acting on information rather than preparing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, their impact is shaped by the system they sit within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They do not, on their own, define:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>what matters most across the enterprise<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>who owns decisions and outcomes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how trade-offs are made across competing demands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how governance operates from board to delivery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Where organisations are clear on these points, platforms like Actio can significantly strengthen execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where they are not, even well-implemented tools can default to structured reporting rather than enabling decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where the combination becomes powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A clear governance and decision model provides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>clarity on priorities and ownership<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a basis for consistent trade-offs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>alignment between board, management and delivery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A platform like Actio provides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the operational environment to run that system<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the structure to maintain cadence and visibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the data to support ongoing decisions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Together, they move the organisation beyond tracking performance towards actively managing and adapting strategy in-flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>BIG Perspective on the Solution<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Product<\/strong> Actio<\/td><td colspan=\"3\"><strong>Website<\/strong> https:\/\/www.Actiosoftware.com<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Contact<\/strong> Guilherme Barbassa<\/td><td colspan=\"3\"><strong>Introduction<\/strong> Strategy execution and performance platform focused on aligning teams to strategic priorities<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Email<\/strong> barbassa@actiosoftware.com<\/td><td colspan=\"3\"><strong>BIG Blog<\/strong> This is it<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Location<\/strong> Americas<\/td><td colspan=\"3\"><strong>Summary<\/strong> Actio fits BIG in the Accountability and Organisation layers, translating objectives into aligned team-level goals and measurable outcomes (including, not limited to OKRs). It helps operationalise accountability by connecting people and teams to objectives, supporting the shift from abstract strategy to owned delivery. Within BIG, it plays a key role in ensuring that objectives are actively owned and pursued, but does not by itself provide the governance integration or information backbone needed for objective-level oversight.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Area<\/strong> Execute<\/td><td><strong>Primary role<\/strong> Strategy execution (OKR alignment)<\/td><td><strong>System type<\/strong> System of record (execution layer)<\/td><td><strong>Level of operation<\/strong> Enterprise to team<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Buyer<\/strong> COO \/ HR \/ Strategy \/ PMO<\/td><td><strong>Key Difference<\/strong> Aligns teams to goals well but lacks governance, prioritisation and dependency depth<\/td><td><strong>Entry Point<\/strong> Performance \/ alignment \/ OKRs<\/td><td><strong>Maturity level<\/strong> Mid &#8211; strategy defined, execution inconsistent<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Trigger problem<\/strong> Strategy not translating into aligned execution<\/td><td><strong>Pain<\/strong> Teams not aligned to objectives, weak ownership<\/td><td><strong>Desired outcome<\/strong> Organisation aligned to goals with measurable outcomes (including OKRs)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What next?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bigcic.agilecrm.com\/forms\/5215722411851776\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Subscribe<\/span><\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;to receive notification of blogs and events<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Become-a-Member-1.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Become a Member<\/span><\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;to access BIG Materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have a Look at the <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.Actiosoftware.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Actio Solutions<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See the <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/solutions-listing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">BIG Solutions<\/a><\/span><\/strong> we have connected with already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/about-us\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Contact us<\/span><\/strong><\/a> for deeper insights on BIG Solutions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From Strategy Tracking to Strategy Stewardship Most organisations don\u2019t struggle to define strategy. They struggle to stay connected to it. Objectives are agreed. KPIs are defined.<span class=\"excerpt-hellip\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,15,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-information","category-news","category-strategy"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Strategy-Icon1-e1776245353431.png?fit=308%2C261&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2321"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2335,"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2321\/revisions\/2335"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/big-cic.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}