Scenario 3.4: Senior leaders are focused on operations, not long-term improvement
Your leadership team are handling logistics and daily issues well, but strategic thinking and long-term planning are being neglected.
Leadership Behaviours to Support This Challenge
| Code | Behaviour | Why It Matters |
| S3 | Seek the Brutal Facts | Long-term improvement begins with facing reality honestly. |
| S12 | Lead for Lasting Excellence | Encourages deeper thinking about sustainability and legacy. |
| S5 | Establish Collective Goals | Aligns SLT around shared improvement priorities. |
| S13 | Aspire to Greatness | Raises the bar beyond fire-fighting. |
| Y5 | Organise for Clarity | Systems reduce operational burden, freeing up time for strategy. |
Suggested Approach
- Audit how SLT time is currently used? Is there room for strategy?
- Use prompts like “Where do we want to be in two years?” to refocus.
- Create routines (e.g., monthly strategic check-ins).
- Reduce unnecessary admin or meetings to protect thinking time.
- Empower others to lead operationally so SLT can lead strategically.