Written by: George Staikos, Boundless Business Consulting

There’s no shortage of strategy in the business world. For Canadian SMEs, especially those navigating uncertain times and markets, the real problem is not the lack of good ideas, it’s the lack of consistent execution.

This isn’t a new insight. In their seminal book “Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done”, Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan argue that execution is not a tactical side note to strategy; it’s a discipline and a core part of a leader’s job. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, was equally clear when he stated, “In real life, strategy is actually very straightforward. You pick a general direction and implement like hell.”

And yet, many SMEs stumble not in the planning, but in the doing. At Boundless Business Consulting, we’ve seen this firsthand. Founders create strong strategies only to find that weeks later, they’re buried in day-to-day operations, and their strategic priorities have faded into the background.

What’s missing? A simple, repeatable, execution-focused framework that keeps strategy visible, accountable, and alive. That’s why we’ve created a Strategic Execution Template for SMEs, designed specifically to help smaller teams move from intent to impact with clarity and discipline. This tool is built around proven principles used by successful companies worldwide, but tailored to the lean realities of small and medium-sized businesses.

Here’s what a great execution system includes:

• Clear Quarterly Priorities: Strategy must be broken into 90-day sprints with 3-5 specific, measurable priorities. 

• Ownership & Accountability: Every initiative needs a name beside it, not a department, a person. 

• Weekly Visibility: Execution is not ‘set and forget.’ Best-in-class teams meet weekly to review progress. 

• Defined Success Metrics: Every strategic objective should be tied to a KPI or target result. 

• Obstacles Logged and Tackled Early: Barriers to execution should be tracked and resolved fast, not buried. 

Download our free Strategic Execution Template to bring structure, urgency, and progress to your business goals. You’ll be surprised by what can happen when everyone on your team knows what matters and what success looks like.

Having a template is just the start. To truly drive results, SMEs need the right expertise and experienced guidance to develop, populate, and implement a strategy execution system. That’s where Boundless Business Consulting comes in. Not only do we provide the tools, but the coaching and support needed to turn plans into progress.

Want help implementing your strategy and aligning your team around execution? We’d be happy to support you. Book a consultation here.