In our last conversation, Elijah, an executive at a large financial services firm, faced a familiar leadership challenge: balancing his strategic vision with a tendency to dive into details. Through our discussion, he began using an “altitude framework,” focusing his attention at different levels—30,000 feet for big-picture strategy, 20,000 for departmental calibration, 10,000 for project-level execution, and 5,000 feet for occasional hands-on involvement. This helped him empower his team while staying strategically focused, only stepping into the details when absolutely necessary and connecting it to the bigged-picture strategy when he did.

Now, Elijah’s journey continues as he applies this framework to improve alignment between strategy and day-to-day operations, ensuring his team understands how their work connects to the broader mission. Recognizing that aligned strategy and operations are essential for effective execution, Elijah has focused on creating a strong connection between the strategic vision and the team’s operational responsibilities.

He began applying the altitude framework in his leadership but soon noticed a new challenge: without clear communication of strategy, tactical missteps were still occurring. This realization underscored a vital insight—successful leadership requires constant alignment between strategy and operations to bridge the gap between vision and action. The stronger the alignment, the smoother the execution, with each level of the organization contributing in harmony toward the overall mission.

We met again to deepen the conversation around this idea, using a model that illustrates how every level of leadership, from mission to daily tasks, needs to work together seamlessly. We started by revisiting the organization’s mission statement, ensuring it served as a guiding force for all strategic and operational decisions. With the mission in mind, we then mapped out how each level—from strategy to daily actions—must align to support the overall purpose. By focusing on the mission, we clarified how the strategy should provide direction, operations should allocate resources, and tactical actions should fulfill immediate tasks.

After reviewing this structure, Elijah shared the model with his team, which sparked a noticeable shift. Understanding how their daily actions connected to the bigger mission and seeing the connection between strategy and operations, they felt more empowered and less dependent on his direct involvement. They recognized that, even in day-to-day tasks, they were contributing to a long-term purpose, and their execution became more intentional and impactful.

Now, when issues arise, the team uses this framework to determine the right level to address each challenge. They’ve developed a more fluid approach to problem-solving, deciding together whether issues belong at the strategic, operational, or tactical level. This clarity has not only streamlined their decision-making process but also strengthened the team’s commitment to the organization’s goals. By keeping strategy and operations in sync, they’ve built a shared vision for growth and executional efficiency, aligning every level of the organization with the mission they aim to achieve.