Create and Execute. Together.

Here's the typical process for unfolding a new strategy:

Meet in a secluded Executive Roundtable
Decide upon new Corporate Strategy
Brief key managers on business strategy
Managers instruct employees on desired outcomes to achieve strategic objectives

Sweet. Except that this works exactly 5% of the time when the strategy involves any major organizational change.

Instead, take the risk and include the "Do'ers" who are the implementers, the tacticians, and those closest to the customer - in the process of deciding strategy. I know, it's scary. Don't worry, this doesn't devalue your job as an executive. Nobody says you need to listen to your lowest level employees and do what they say blindly.

The research shows that as you encourage team-oriented goal-setting through a process of collaboration, your results are strengthened and probability for success is dramatically improved.

Worst case, despite the power of their ideas, you empower your team to contribute to the business strategy and demonstrate importance to their opinions related to the business.

The Choosers and the Do'ers need to be brought together through accepting and valuing the strategic objectives. The best way to do so is to be mutually invested to deciding the ultimate goals in the first place. Creating and Executing upon Strategy is not mutually exclusive, and should be a shared responsibility across hierarchies and functional groups.

Directives and Assignments are things of the past - where we now require Visions and Values, which can be most effective when developed and pursued through a diagonally (vertically aligned and cross finctional) comprised team.

Go.