Strategy development and execution are intertwined. It is important to have a well documented and planned strategy but the ability to implement it is a critical factor for organizational success. Execution tends to be a challenge for many companies simply because it is a human behavior challenge.

To deliver strategic results, employees need to be aligned to organizational results. In many companies that I have consulted with a common challenge amongst leadership and executive teams is misaligned employees, a focus on business as usual activities, employees working at cross purposes, outside rather than 'in' their processes. Recently, a client in the consumer business industry said to me "our company results show performance is declining, but departmental results are reflecting an improvement in performance - how is this possible? Something is not right."

Creating organizational alignment and getting over the hurdles that prevent strategic acting can be approached by using coaches to address the particular obstacles faced as employees work to deliver their contribution to strategy. Coaches can help address the challenges that employees face when executing strategy, which includes how best to communicate priorities, how to handle resistance, how to say no to distractions. But to do this, it's necessary to identify the people that have the highest impact in creating this change of thinking and behavior. People who are highly networked and have organizational authority - influencers with the right focus.

Short, focused, one-on-one coaching sessions for these influencers are one way to helping make clear their contribution to the 'bigger picture' and can help uncover the challenges and identify the real obstacles preventing the driving of strategic priorities forward.