Strategy: Align · Core
Help teams turn the strategy into their own plans
Teams need to see how their work links to the strategy. Help them set their own goals and plans from it, rather than handing down a list of tasks.
About 3-10 daysEvergreenLast reviewed 5 November 2026
Who this applies to
- Skills it builds
- Strategy and visionCommunication and influenceLeadership and coaching
- PM types
- All
- Product types
- All
- Starting points
- All
- Ways of working
- All
- Experience
- Intermediate (1 to 4 years)Experienced (5+ years)
- Size of organisation
- All
Steps, by experience
Beginner (under 1 year)
- Walk each team through the strategy and the bets.
- Ask each team how their work could move the bets forward.
- Help them set goals that link to the bets.
- Check the goals add up across teams.
- Share the combined view.
Intermediate (1 to 4 years)
- Use objectives and key results to link team goals to the strategy.
- Spot gaps and overlaps between teams.
- Agree how teams will report progress against the bets.
Experienced (5+ years)
- Run the cascade across many teams in one planning cycle.
- Give teams problems to solve, not features to build.
- Adjust the strategy when teams find it doesn't work in practice.
Who can do this
Owner: Product manager
Can be delegated to
- Delivery Manager or Scrum Master: Collect and combine team goals
Tool examples
- Jira
- Link team goals to strategic initiatives.
- Confluence
- Publish team goals next to the strategy.
Definition of done
- Every team has goals linked to the bets
- Gaps and overlaps resolved
- Progress reporting agreed
Common pitfalls
- Handing down tasks
- Team goals that don't add up
- No way to report progress