So I tried something different. I leaned into the Strategic Ascent system with intention: prework, no hidden agendas, a clear vision for the next three years, and deliverables that could not just sit in a folder. That process shifted things. The team began to own the strategy, not just hear it. We set measurable goals. We built action plans. We set up governance so we could hold ourselves accountable and check in regularly.

When I moved on to lead another company, this one made up of several acquired divisions with different cultures and structures, I brought the same process with me. We adapted, but the core stayed the same: clarity, ownership, alignment. The result was real momentum.

Now, having retired from the CEO role, I have chosen to facilitate the Strategic Ascent process because I saw what works, what does not, and what it takes to make strategy stick. And I believe every leadership team deserves that shift, when strategy stops being a plan and becomes a force that moves the whole company. It's hard to find a system that can help a team achieve this, but when you do, it makes all the difference.

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