Strategy Is Nothing Without Operational Leadership

By Stefano Maifreni, founder and COO, Eggcelerate

Every founder has a strategy. It might be written down, sketched on a whiteboard, or just floating around in their head. But after speaking with many CEOs at growing businesses, one thing stands out: the hardest part is not making the strategy. It is making it happen.

I’ve worked with SMEs and start-ups at different growth stages. Most had big ambitions and strong ideas. Some raised money or got early traction. But then, growth slowed, profits dipped, teams felt stressed, and customers started to notice.

This kind of disconnect is common. Strategy often stands alone, while the day-to-day work runs on its own with little connection. That gap puts growth and results at risk.

Strategy feels safe. Operations feel messy.

Strategy is neat and tidy. It shows up in slide decks, in planning sessions, and in boardrooms. It’s about markets, positioning, vision, and growth. Operations are different. They happen in the daily work: people, processes, systems, and decisions. This is where friction appears first.

Founders often do not realise how quickly things become complicated. A few new hires, a big customer, a new product version, or a new sales channel can suddenly make things feel heavier, slower, and harder to manage.

When things get more complex and slow down, just going back to the strategy won’t fix it. What’s usually missing is operational leadership.

What operational leadership really means.

Operational leadership isn’t about adding more control or drowning the business in processes. It’s about making plans happen, over and over.

It means turning big priorities into clear choices about how things get done. Operational leadership answers tough questions like: What matters most this quarter? What should we stop doing? Where are time and money best spent? Who’s responsible for results?

It also means setting up the business to deliver well. That covers how decisions are made, how information moves, what incentives are in place, how people work together, and the often-overlooked customer journey from first contact to payment.

Without strong operational leadership, even the best strategy stays on paper and never becomes real.

Why founders struggle with the shift.

Many founders lead with vision. They’re great at spotting opportunities, selling ideas, and getting people excited. But operational leadership needs a different mindset: it’s less about ideas and more about steady discipline, less about speed and more about consistent progress.

There’s also an emotional challenge. As businesses grow, founders can’t do everything themselves anymore, but they still want results. Many struggle here: if nothing is delegated, bottlenecks form; if everything is delegated without clarity, chaos follows.

Operational leadership gives you the structure to delegate without losing control.

Operations as a competitive advantage.

When operations line up with strategy, teams move faster because priorities are clear. Customers get a consistent experience, costs stay under control, and problems are caught earlier.

I’ve seen small manufacturers beat much bigger competitors by growing their operations in a smart way. I’ve also seen tech start-ups fail because they didn’t plan for delivery, onboarding, or support.

In every case, it was operational leadership, not just strategy, that delivered real results.

From strategy to action.

So, what does this look like when the rubber meets the road?

• First, turn your strategy into action by boiling big goals down to a few clear priorities everyone understands.
• Second, make sure roles and accountability are clear. Everyone should know what they’re responsible for and how success will be measured.
• Third, make sure information flows easily. Leaders need quick, simple signals to see what’s working and what isn’t.
• Finally, leadership presence matters. Operational leaders are visible, make decisions, follow up, and tackle tough issues early.

 

The real test of leadership.

In growing businesses, the real test of leadership is whether your team can move forward without burning out, breaking apart, or losing focus. Strategy sets the direction. Operational leadership turns that direction into real progress.

Without operational leadership, strategy is just a story for you and your investors. With it, strategy becomes something your staff and your customers can feel. That’s where real, sustainable growth comes from.

Power Bio

Stefano Maifreni is an accomplished COO known for driving growth in Technology Manufacturing, Drones, IoT, AI,GreenTech, and Fin/InsureTech. He excels in strategic execution and transformative leadership, fostering sustainable efficiency across multiple business domains. A strong advocate for organisational efficiency and diversity, he’s adept in people and change management, with a particular focus on AI and automation for operational excellence. He founded Eggcelerate to revitalise B2B businesses, ranging from Technology Manufacturing to AI and GreenTech, showcasing his ability to drive focused and sustainable growth. An Executive MBA alumnus of the London Business School, Stefano also contributes to esteemed publications like Forbes, The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times’ Raconteur, sharing insights on strategy, operations, and people management that reflect his profound industry knowledge

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