At the heart of nearly every complex strategy lies a familiar culprit: communication breakdown. Organizations often design ambitious visions, only to stumble in execution because the words, meaning, and intent of the strategy do not reach the people responsible for carrying it forward. Whether the gap stems from technical jargon, lack of dialogue, or convoluted incentives, the result is often the same: missed opportunities, wasted resources, and damaged trust.
For Jim Stockmal, founder of SK Partners, this issue has defined his career. "Strategic people have a hard time communicating the strategy to people who need to execute it. And the people who need to execute it have a hard time understanding what the strategy really is," he explains.
Stockmal's perspective is grounded in decades of hands-on experience in what he calls "the hard work of soft stuff." Trained early on in facilitation and organizational development, he learned to bring people together across functions and disciplines. A self-described "recovering geographer" with minors in psychology and economics, he combined human behavior, systems thinking, and economic realities into a rare skill set that underpins his comprehensive approach at SK Partners.
Stockmal points out that communication failures are not merely nuisances; they are costly. Research estimated billions wasted annually due to strategy gaps. He recalls how this theme dominated a strategy summit in Reykjavík, Iceland, where he delivered a talk on why people, not processes, were the central barrier to execution. "Every organization does surveys on why strategies fail," he notes. "It usually comes down to leadership, lack of communication, and misaligned rewards and incentives."
The consequences ripple outward. For businesses, poor alignment can erode credibility with shareholders and customers, sometimes leading to failed market entries or acquisitions. For nonprofits, it can derail fundraising and mission delivery. For governments, it can deepen public distrust. The costs can be reputational, financial, and social.
Stockmal emphasizes that misalignment is universal. "This isn't industry exclusive. It affects nonprofits, businesses, and governments alike," he shares. Whether it's a multinational expanding into new markets or a local nonprofit seeking new funding, execution falters when communication breaks down between vision and implementation.
The solution, he argues, begins with aligning the operating model to strategy, a step often overlooked in management systems. "If you have an organizational structure or an operating model, and now you have a new strategy, you have to bring the operating model into alignment with that new strategy. Otherwise, you're not going to be as successful executing it," Stockmal explains. That means looking beyond shifting "boxes on a chart" and focusing on the work, capabilities, and behaviors needed to deliver on new goals.
One method Stockmal uses is co-creation. Instead of imposing top-down designs, he involves those who will live the change in shaping it. "You want to focus on the work that gets done, the capabilities that we need, and how we work together. And then bring in the people who are going to be affected by that, so they're part of the change, as opposed to the change being thrown on top of them," he says.
This approach echoes his belief that strategy is as much about what not to do as what to pursue. It requires organizations to confront root causes, often through tools like appreciative inquiry and the "five whys" technique. Whatever the cause, Stockmal believes that alignment begins with honest dialogue and shared understanding.
Ten years after founding SK Partners, Stockmal continues to help clients translate intent into results. His motto, "dance to the music of life," reflects the balance he brings to his work: grounded in rhythm, attuned to change, and focused on harmony. "We are how we treat each other when the day is done, and nothing more," he shares, quoting a song he resonates with.
In an era where strategies multiply but execution falters, Stockmal insists that success ultimately lies in closing communication gaps. For leaders across sectors, the question is not whether they can craft a strategy, but whether they can ensure the people charged with executing it truly understand and believe in it.
