Zebras, giraffes, and strategy
What do zebras, strategy, and saying ‘no’ have in common? More than you might think. This week, amidst the giraffes and cheetahs at Monarto Safari Park, we got laser-focused with an Executive Team on what really matters in a high-impact strategy session. The session was enhanced by co-facilitating with Matt Walsh, which allowed for diverse perspectives and observations.
We spent our time surrounded by wildlife, but the real exploration was strategic: revisiting their existing strategy, scanning the external environment for trends, and setting their plan for 2026. The magic came, not from the Melbourne coffee order, but anchoring to their guiding principles, including the organisations purpose, the strategic vision and their competitive advantage. This allowed for greater decision making when creating their plan on a page.
Monarto Safari Park
This alignment allowed for sharper decision-making as we built out their Plan on a Page for 2026. We fall into the trap that everything is important, and when that occurs nothing is.
A powerful shift occurs when teams differentiate between activity and impact. The strategic priorities become clearer, and the sequence of delivery begins to take shape.
Monarto Safari Park
Strategy is a set of choices. It’s about deciding what to say yes to and what to say no to. It takes courage to de-prioritise a long-standing initiative or delay something that sounds exciting. But great leadership is about creating clarity and committing to the path that will make the biggest difference.
As leaders, it’s our job to create the conditions for focus. To hold up the mirror and ask: Are we clear about what success looks like, and are we setting our teams up to succeed?
As leaders, it’s our job to create the conditions for focus.
To hold up the mirror and ask:
What is our competitive advantage?
What does success in 2026 look like?
What do we need to stop doing or say no to?
The real magic came when we got clear on what matters most.
To learn more, check out these articles:
P.S. If your organisation’s strategy is lacking clarity, alignment, or execution,here are some ways we can work together:
Strategy Session to facilitate your organisation’s strategic focus and create a Plan on a Page.
Senior Leaders Forum focused on operationalising your strategy and gaining alignment.
Read Thriving Leaders: Learn the Skills to Lead Confidently, you can purchase it here.
Or check out the Thriving Leaders Podcast for bite sized leadership learnings. Episode 13 focuses on Strategy.
If you’d like to chat, please book some time in my calendar.
