How leadership behaviour impacts change and strategy execution

The uncomfortable truth is that, more often than not, it’s the CEOs and their leadership teams who are at the heart of the “great plan, poor execution” dilemma. Looking in the mirror to assess how leadership styles and behaviours either enable or hinder change can be uncomfortable. But the payoff is huge: building a culture that truly drives execution.

Five Steps of Change

To keep things simple, driving change boils down to a five-step process:

1. Awareness of the Problem / Opportunity
2. Ownership for the Problem / Opportunity
3. Solutions to the Problem / Opportunity
4. Execution of the Solution / Opportunity
5. Embedding of the Solution/ Opportunity

To highlight leadership’s critical role in driving change, we show how different management styles directly impact how teams behave and feel when driving change. The analysis reveals that execution is always a culture problem, and culture problems stem from leadership.

Universal Management Behaviours in Focus

The management style a company needs nowis always derived from its ‘how to win’ choices—whether cost, differentiation, focus, or a hybrid model. Porter’s competitive advantage model is still relevant today.

However, in 2025, few companies compete purely on cost, differentiation, or focus. We now operate in an era of hybrid competitive models, where evolving competitive strategies demand multidimensional and adaptive leadership styles. The days of leading teams mostly with a single leadership approach are behind us.

With the five-step model, we’ve highlighted universal management styles and leadership behaviours—those that every modern leader should embrace to ensure they drive, rather than hinder, change.

1. Awareness of the Problem

What enables it

Management Style: Visionary leadership

Leader’s core belief: We have the responsibility and opportunity to improve our customers’ lives through our work, together.

Leadership behaviour: Encouraging everyone to identify core issues and making the problem visible to those who need to see it.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Dynamism

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Proactive problem identification
• Open communication of challenges
• Continuous improvement mindset

Emotional Climate it builds: Curiosity and empowerment: – Employees are inspired to spot issues early, knowing they can contribute to solutions and improvements.

What kills it

Management Style: Autocratic control

Leader’s core belief: Without strict control, things fall apart. Efficiency and order require centralised leadership.

Leadership behaviour: Focusing only on what’s convenient, failing to address real issues.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Dysfunction

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Blame-shifting
• Avoidance of responsibility
• Protecting self-interest

Emotional Climate it builds:Fear of punishment – Raising issues feels risky, creating a defensive environment where problems stay hidden.

2. Ownership for the Problem

What enables it

Management Style: Trust and empowerment

Leader’s core belief: People thrive when they own their work and have the freedom to act.

Leadership behaviour: Giving individuals the autonomy to make decisions, with clear expectations and barriers removed.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Entrepreneurial Ownership

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Self-starting ownership
• Initiative to tackle problems head-on
• Commitment to finding and implementing solutions

Emotional Climate it builds: Confidence and accountability – Employees take pride in their ownership, knowing their input has direct impact.

What kills it

Management Style: Micromanagement

Leader’s core belief: If I don’t control every detail, things will go wrong.

Leadership behaviour: Undermining responsibility by controlling every action, stifling ownership.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Dependency

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Following orders without questioning
• Lack of initiative
• Waiting for instructions rather than acting independently

Emotional Climate it builds: Helplessness and frustration – Employees feel disconnected from the problem-solving process, passive instead of proactive.

3. Solutions to the Problem

What enables it

Management Style: Coaching and mentorship

Leader’s core belief: People grow through guidance and experimentation, not just instructions.

Leadership behaviour: Encouraging innovation and experimentation, while providing guidance and support for improvement.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Continuous Learning

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Feedback-driven improvement
• Challenging the status quo
• Risk-taking and creative problem-solving

Emotional Climate it builds: Excitement and growth – Employee feeling motivated to experiment, learn from mistakes, and continuously improve.

What kills it

Management Style: Command-and-control

Leader’s core belief: Strict control ensures efficiency; too much freedom leads to mistakes.

Leadership behaviour: Stifling creativity and learning by enforcing rigid rules and preventing independent thinking, teaching people to be comfortable with doing the minimum necessary.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Complacency

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Adherence to the status quo
• Resistance to new ideas
• Lack of proactive problem-solving

Emotional Climate it builds: Stagnation and disengagement – Employees feel disconnected, passive, and disengaged.

4. Execution of the Solution

What enables it

Management Style: Clear direction and accountability

Leader’s core belief: Success comes from disciplined execution—clear goals, accountability, and focused effort turn plans into reality.

Leadership behaviour: Setting clear goals, aligning roles and responsibilities, and ensuring consistent follow-through to get results.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Task Completion

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Focus on execution and closure
• Perseverance in the face of obstacles
• Setting clear, achievable milestones

Emotional Climate it builds: Pride and achievement – Employee feeling a sense of accomplishment as tasks are completed and results are visible.

What kills it

Management Style: Weak direction and shifting priorities

Leader’s core belief: No core belief—just ineffective leadership.

Leadership behaviour: Lack of clarity on goals and constantly changing direction, causing confusion and unfulfilled projects.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Unfinished Work

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Abandoning tasks mid-way
• Lack of follow-through
• Moving on to new tasks without finishing old ones

Emotional Climate it builds: Frustration and resentment – Employees feel their efforts are wasted, leading to burnout and disengagement.

5. Embedding of the Solution

What enables it

Management Style: Proactive, transformative leadership

Leader’s core belief: Change is necessary for growth, and leaders must help teams drive transformation despite resistance.

Leadership behaviour: Overcoming system-level resistance and pushing through when things get tough.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Resilience and Integration

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Relentless pursuit of full implementation
• Systematic integration of solutions into everyday practices
• Empowering teams to make the solution permanent

Emotional Climate it builds: Determination and commitment – Employees feeling driven to see things through, with a shared commitment to overcoming obstacles and making change stick.

What kills it

Management Style: Fixed mindset leadership

Leader’s core belief: Things must stay as they are—any disruption risks failure.

Leadership behaviour: Allowing the system to resist change, not addressing obstacles, and giving up when progress stalls.

Culture it creates: A Culture of Stagnation

Employee behaviours it drives:

• Resistance to change
• Inconsistent follow-through
• Giving in to existing systems rather than pushing through barriers

Emotional Climate it builds: Defeat and apathy – Employees feel their efforts are futile, leading to disengagement and stagnation.