Living Strategy is an approach to participatory, iterative, and continuous strategy work. Unlike traditional strategy models, which operate in multi-year cycles and with static top-down planning, Living Strategy® understands strategy as a living process:
• in short cycles (strategy sprints),
• with active participation from the organization (not just the board or staff),
• closely linked to implementation and feedback,
• made visible through clear artifacts (e.g., strategy backlog).
The goal: strategy becomes connectable, adaptable, and permanently effective—not just a piece of paper in a filing cabinet.
Practical relevance (building blocks & approach)
a) Shared vision: Instead of just imposing a top-down vision, a shared vision of the future is co-created with leadership and key roles.
b) Strategy sprints (2–3 months): Short cycles for developing, forming hypotheses, selecting, and validating strategic initiatives
c) Strategy backlog: All strategic hypotheses, ideas, and options are transparently collected, evaluated, and prioritized – similar to a product backlog.
d) Participation via roles:
• Strategy Owner – accountable for the process.
• Strategy Team – cross-functional, ensures continuous work on the backlog.
• Stakeholder dialogues – regular formats to incorporate external perspectives.
e) Feedback & adaptation: After each sprint, assumptions are reviewed, initial measures are tested, and adjustments are made.
Typical misunderstandings
❌ "Strategy is a matter for the boss" – Living Strategy® deliberately involves broader levels in order to avoid silos and detachment from reality.
❌ "Strategy is a 3-year plan" – Continuous adjustments are essential because markets and technologies are changing dynamically.
❌ "Strategy replaces operational control" – Living Strategy® clearly separates strategic alignment from operational excellence.
❌ "Strategy work = workshops once a year" – wrong: it is an ongoing process with sprints and routines.
Why classic strategy approaches fail
• Static plans: Once strategy papers have been finalized, they are often already outdated by the time they are printed.
• Top-down without dialogue: Lack of involvement leads to acceptance problems and resistance.
• "PowerPoint strategy": Strategies end up in presentations but are not operationalized.
• No connection to implementation: Strategic goals fizzle out because there is no link to operational routines.
Advantages of living strategy
• Agile & adaptive: Strategy work runs in sprints, responding to new opportunities and risks.
• Participatory: Employees and stakeholders are involved → more commitment and ownership.
• Transparency: Strategy backlog and clear routines make strategy visible and comprehensible.
• Connection to implementation: Strategic hypotheses are tested immediately and fed back into the organization.
• High learning rate: Continuous reflection and adaptation accelerate organizational learning.
Guiding Principles
1. Transparency about strategy work – make all ideas, hypotheses, and options visible.
2. Ensure participation – strategy is developed collaboratively, not in an ivory tower.
3. Strategy in sprints – short cycles, no annual monolithic workshops.
4. Work based on hypotheses – strategy is not "truth" but an assumption that is tested.
5. Take feedback seriously – continuously incorporate input from customers, markets, and employees.
6. Strategy is work – not an event, but a continuous process.
Practical example
An industrial company developed its digital strategy in the traditional way over the course of a year, but the results were disappointing. With Living Strategy®, a strategy backlog was introduced in which 40 hypotheses were collected. In four strategy sprints, the company tested five prioritized hypotheses (e.g., digital services for after-sales). The result: two initiatives were stopped immediately (lack of market), one generated new revenue within six months – the learning rate was significantly higher than before.
Application by coaches (specific)
• Set up a strategy backlog: record all ideas/hypotheses transparently.
• Moderate strategy sprints: 2–3-month cycles with clear goals.
• Test hypotheses: experiments, market feedback, internal data.
• Ensure linkage: feed results directly back into portfolios/programs.
• Ensure continuity: regular reviews and retrospectives on strategy work.
CALADE perspective
Living Strategy® is an approach developed by Mario André Brückner that has proven itself in numerous projects – from medium-sized companies to large corporations. At CALADE, Living Strategy® is used as a fundamental component of transformation and portfolio management. It bridges the gap between strategic thinking and operational implementation – continuously, participatively, and measurably.
Related terms & sources
• Book "Living Transformation" – Combining transformation & strategy.
• Living Transformation® podcast – episodes on strategy work (e.g., with practical examples).
• Website: living-transformation.com with glossary & background information.
• Related approaches: OKR, Hoshin Kanri, hypothesis-driven strategy, dynamic capabilities.
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