5-Minute Strategy Sharpener
- Zoe Lewis
- Oct 13
- 2 min read
Clarify your strategy in five minutes with this quick-thinking prompt list from executive coach Zoé Lewis. A practical reflection tool for leaders who want focus, simplicity, and progress.
Intro: When strategy needs a little sharpener
Daily I come across people who are struggling to get things moving in their strategy.
Big goals become long lists, things that are not important, but urgent get the attention and soon enough the strategy is so cluttered it's hard to see what really matters.
When that happens, I use a simple 5-minute prompt to help them cut through the noise. It’s quick, and helps leaders shift from overwhelm to action.
You can use it before your next planning meeting, quarterly review, or even a one-to-one conversation.
Area | Reflection Prompt |
The Goal I'm Aiming For | What's the outcome, not the task list? What will look, sound or feel different when we've achieved it? |
The Noise I Need to Reduce | Which distractions, projects or nice-to-haves are taking up time? What could we drop, delay or delegate? |
Three Small Decisions That Move It Forward | Which micro-decisions will unlock the next step? |
One Risk Worth Taking | What's the bold move I could make that shifts things if we were brave enought to try it? |
If This Were Simple... | Complete the sentence: If this were simple, I would... |
Reflection tip
You can do this on your own or with your team. If it's a team session, invite each person to fill in their own version first and compare responses.
Final thought
Strategy is about deciding what needs the time, energy and focus right now and that also means being clear about what isn't in the frame and giving permission for other areas to be out of focus for a period of time if necessary.
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