A strategic plan is a powerful tool for leadership success, but let’s be real—having a plan isn’t the same as making it work.
Many leaders create a plan only to find it gathering dust after a few months. Why? Because they don’t have a system for execution. The best leaders don’t just set goals—they align their plans with their natural work rhythms, eliminate distractions, and track progress in a way that keeps them accountable.
If you want your Personal Strategic Plan to drive real results, here’s how to put it into action with three essential habits.
1. Align Your Plan with Your Energy, Not Just Your Calendar
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is forcing their strategic work into their already overloaded schedules. But success isn’t about finding more time—it’s about using your best time effectively.
The Key Question to Ask:
When do you naturally feel the most focused and productive?
Everyone has an energy rhythm. Some people do their best deep thinking in the morning, while others hit their stride in the afternoon. Instead of squeezing strategic tasks into random time slots, schedule them when you’re at your peak energy levels.
Try This Technique:
Energy Mapping – Track your energy for a week. Notice when you feel mentally sharp vs. drained. Then, schedule high-impact leadership tasks—like strategic planning, decision-making, and creative problem-solving—during your peak energy windows.
Example: Director of Customer Engagement – Dania
Dania, a director at a growing fintech company, struggled to find time for strategic planning. She kept pushing it to the end of the day, only to feel too drained to think clearly.
After tracking her energy, she realized she was sharpest between 8:30 and 10:30 AM. Instead of reacting to emails first thing in the morning, she blocked 90-minute-deep work sessions twice a week to focus on big-picture initiatives. The result? She became more proactive and less reactive, helping her team stay ahead instead of always playing catch-up.
2. Eliminate, Automate, Delegate
One of the fastest ways to create time for strategic work is to get rid of tasks that don’t belong on your plate.
As a leader, your role is to focus on what only YOU can do. The more you eliminate low-value tasks, the more you can operate in your Zone of Genius—where your greatest skills meet the highest impact for your organization.
The Key Question to Ask:
What’s on my to-do list that someone else could handle—or that doesn’t need to be done at all?
Try This Technique:
The EAD Framework (Eliminate, Automate, Delegate)
- Eliminate one task that no longer serves you.
- Automate one repetitive task.
- Delegate one responsibility to someone else.
Example: Director of Marketing, Jackie
Jackie, a Marketing Director at a mid-sized firm, was bogged down in operational work—approving every minor social media post, reviewing campaign reports, and answering endless emails.
Using the EAD Framework, she:
✅ Eliminated redundant weekly reports that no one was using.
✅ Automated social media scheduling with AI-powered tools.
✅ Delegated campaign reporting to a team member.
By removing three low-value tasks, Jackie freed up five hours per week to focus on high-level strategy, leading to a 15% increase in campaign effectiveness.
3. Conduct a Weekly Strategic Check-In
Even the best plans fall apart without regular reflection and adjustment. That’s why top leaders don’t just set goals—they revisit them often.
The Key Question to Ask:
What worked last week? What didn’t? What’s my ONE focus for the next 7 days?
Try This Technique:
The 15-Minute Leadership Reset
- Step 1: Review last week’s wins and challenges.
- Step 2: Identify what’s working and what’s not.
- Step 3: Set ONE clear focus for the next 7 days.
Example: Director of Sales, Amanda
Amanda leads a national sales team. Her biggest challenge? Staying focused on long-term sales strategy instead of getting lost in daily urgencies.
She started blocking 15 minutes every Monday morning for her Leadership Reset. During this time, she reviews progress, identifies obstacles, and sets one big priority for the week.
The impact?
✅ More intentional leadership decisions
✅ Better delegation of urgent but non-strategic tasks
✅ Higher team performance without her being in every detail
Your Next Step: Put Your Plan into Action
If you’ve ever felt like your strategic plan isn’t getting traction, you don’t need more goals—you need better habits.
✅ Schedule your strategic work during peak energy times.
✅ Use the EAD Framework to free up time for high-impact leadership.
✅ Set up a weekly check-in to stay on track.
Want help making your leadership plan work for you? Let’s talk. I help leaders turn vision into action—without burnout.
Schedule a strategy session here https://moiralethbridge.as.me/consult.
