Once VPs and EVPs agree on strategic priorities, they can rally their direct reports—directors and senior managers—to execute on them. At the 1,000-foot level, directors and senior managers can align with and execute on VPs’ strategic priorities rather than initiatives of their choosing. This ensures execution at the 1,000-foot level is fully synced with the 10,000-foot strategic priorities.

Consider a real-world case in which a firm found communications to be the most heavily weighted strategic priority. In analyzing the company, Collaborative for CUBES™ identified three potential execution levers:

• Communicating frequently throughout the sales team.
• Keeping clients informed of project progress.
• Answering customer calls within 24-hours.

Rather than use instinct or guesswork, Collaborative for CUBES statistically determined the relative efficacy of each execution lever in improving communications. Collaborative for CUBES determined the relative weight of answering customer calls within 24 hours, at 45%, was higher than the weight of the other execution levers. As such, the communications director developed specific initiatives to ensure calls were answered promptly, including hiring additional staff, updating the phone system, and developing a web-based platform for customers to receive support. As the percentage of calls answered within 24 hours increased, the company’s customer-based scores on the strategic area of communications also went up. This was reflected in increased customer retention and margins.

EVPs’ 10,000-foot strategic priorities can help directors and senior managers address the right execution levers at the 1,000-foot level. When directors have clarity on strategic priorities, they can determine the specific levers that are fully aligned with them. Collaborative for CUBES provides a mechanism to quantify the effectiveness of the execution levers at the 1,000-foot level, relating them to the strategic priorities set by EVPs at the 10,000-foot level and the strategy outcomes desired by the CEO at the 100,000-foot level.