Start with Sharpness
This is the fourth post in our Strategy Series, published every Thursday. Each week, we explore how Australian organisations can rethink their operating models, embrace AI with intention, and stay ahead of the curve. In this post, we go right back to the start, before operating models, before requirements. How do you start?
Most tech transformations fail before they start, at the strategy table.
Before you map a process, visualise a future state, or redesign your team’s workflow around AI… you need to step back.
Way back.
Because most transformation programs stumble at the first step, the one no one spends enough time on: getting sharp about the why.
What exactly are we trying to achieve, and why now?
This is where things get wobbly. Vague visions. Values that live on posters. Goals are written in management speak. Metrics that measure the wrong things too late.
We see it constantly, in programs that go straight to “Mapping the Now” without first aligning on purpose. Or in future-state designs that drift into fantasy because no one agreed what great looks like. Even AI pilots suffer when teams don't understand the outcomes they’re optimising for.
At We Lead Out, we tackle this by anchoring every engagement in vision, values, goals, and metrics, in that order. We call it starting with sharpness.
How It Works
1. Vision: Paint the change in plain English
A good vision names the desired shift in customer or business outcomes. Not just “improve efficiency” but “halve onboarding time for new merchants.” It should be directional, memorable, and valuable. One sentence.
2. Values: Operationalise the rules of engagement
Values only matter if they drive trade-offs. If we say “customer-first,” what does that mean when choosing between a fast rollout and a robust beta? Define these as delivery principles, behaviours that help teams act with autonomy.
3. Goals: Set the strategy spine
Avoid generic ambition. Break the vision into 3-5 strategic goals or themes that can span multiple initiatives or quarters. These guide prioritisation, not micromanagement.
4. Metrics: Define what movement looks like
Use both leading and lagging indicators. If the vision is merchant onboarding time, a leading metric might be “average clicks to complete onboarding.” A lagging one might be “NPS at Day 30.” Aim for signals, not vanity.
Why It Matters
You can’t build a sharp solution from a blurry brief.
Clarity here sets up everything downstream: product roadmaps, vendor assessments, delivery models, governance, even how teams run stand-ups. If you do this well, you’ll have input that actually fuels your RFP, not fluff that vendors smile at and ignore.
We’ve seen this pay off in our future-state design work, where sharp input keeps artefacts grounded and actionable.
It also unlocks clearer current-state mapping and helps you rethink roles when adopting AI into team workflows.
And perhaps most importantly, it de-risks your own leadership team. These conversations expose misalignments that would otherwise surface months later, as tension, delay, or rework.
Takeaway
You don’t need a 40-page strategy doc. You need one page of shared understanding, forged through sharp conversation.
Ready to set a new vision?
We run strategic clarity sprints with tech and exec teams, and we’d love to help you build this foundation.
We Lead Out helps business and government leaders navigate transformation with confidence, starting with the foundations that matter. Reach out to learn more about the trends affecting Australian businesses.
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