Lance Mortlock: Is Your Business Strategy Built for a Risky World?

Why Strategy—and Execution—Matter More Than Ever

In an era defined by volatility, complexity, and relentless change, many leaders are asking: Is our business strategy resilient enough to survive what’s next? According to strategist and author Lance Mortlock, most companies are woefully unprepared—not because they lack strategy, but because they fail to execute it.

With over 25 years of experience advising global organizations on their toughest strategic challenges, Mortlock has seen the dangers of underestimating execution. In his role as an adjunct professor, author of Outside In, Inside Out and Disaster Proof, and board contributor to CEO World and Chief Executive magazine, his mission is clear: help leaders build strategy that thrives under pressure.

The Diamond Framework: A Four-Part Strategy Compass

The core of Mortlock’s message is that great strategy isn't just a document—it's a living, breathing system. He introduces what he calls the Diamond Framework, a simple yet powerful model that balances external realities with internal capabilities.

“Step one is outside-in—understanding what’s happening in the world. Step two is inside-out—understanding how your organization is performing,” says Mortlock. “You use both to make winning choices on where to play and how to win.”

Here’s how the Diamond Framework breaks down:

1. Outside-In: Analyze external forces—market trends, customer needs, competitor moves, and geopolitical shifts.

2. Inside-Out: Assess internal strengths—your operating model, talent, financial performance, and risk profile.

3. Prepare to Execute: Align initiatives, people, structure, and funding with strategic priorities.

4. Execute Relentlessly: Track performance with scorecards, manage costs, and continually innovate.

   
   

10 Disruptive Trends That Demand Better Strategy

Mortlock outlines 10 urgent global trends that underscore why today’s strategies must be both agile and execution-ready:

• 1 in 10 CEOs fail within their first two years.

• Only 15% of top-performing companies sustain growth over 30 years.

• In 2024, we created 147 zettabytes of data, most of which goes unused.

• 4 billion people voted in national elections last year, shaking policy landscapes worldwide.

• 54% risk of global instability, according to risk forecasts.

• 64% of executives admit to too many conflicting priorities.

• Only 36% of companies have a formal talent strategy.

• 90% of strategies fail at the execution stage.

• 2024 was the hottest year on record, reinforcing the need for sustainability in strategy.

• $2.5 trillion was spent on digital transformation, with mixed returns.

  
  

These trends are not just noise—they are signals. And they’re amplifying the need for robust, flexible, and well-executed business strategy.

Common Pitfalls—and How to Avoid Them

In his consulting and academic work, Mortlock has seen strategy derailed time and time again by the same traps:

• Over-focusing on development while ignoring execution.

• Creating plans in isolation, without employee engagement.

• Failing to simplify strategy so that teams understand and believe in it.

• Mistaking brainstorming for planning—lacking trade-offs and timelines.

• Building rigid, linear plans without room for flexibility.

“The real problem isn’t that organizations don’t strategize,” Mortlock explains. “It’s that they don’t build systems to execute—and they don’t embed strategy in a way people can act on.”

That’s why his Diamond Framework integrates strategy development and execution from the start—bridging the common disconnect between vision and action.

Why Strategy Is Now a Human-Centered Discipline

An often-overlooked piece of the strategy puzzle? People.

Mortlock notes that without a clear talent management strategy, even the most brilliant plans stall. Strategy, at its core, is about aligning people toward common goals—clarifying the “why,” setting the direction, and enabling ownership at all levels.

“Simplify your strategy so people understand, remember, and believe in it,” Mortlock advises. This people-first mindset is also reflected in his emphasis on educating leaders—not just advising them. He collaborates with faculty at the University of Calgary to teach advanced strategy, reinforcing the practical application of concepts.

Lessons from Across the Globe

Mortlock’s insights aren’t confined to one region or industry. Drawing from case studies in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Sweden, Australia, and beyond, he highlights universal strategic themes:

• Sustained performance requires clarity, focus, and alignment.

• Leaders must balance internal strengths with external threats.

• Strategy must adapt to fast-moving geopolitical and environmental shifts.

• Execution is the great equalizer—the difference between aspiration and achievement.

  
  

Whether you’re a startup founder or a Fortune 500 CEO, the strategic questions are the same: Where should we play? How will we win? What do we need to succeed? How do we stay ahead while the world spins faster?

Final Takeaways: Think Bigger, Execute Better

Strategy without execution is just theory. Lance Mortlock’s Diamond Framework is a toolkit for transforming theory into results. His message is clear: The future will reward the fast, the flexible, and the focused.

By building strategies that are data-informed, people-powered, and relentlessly executed, leaders can steer through disruption—and turn complexity into competitive advantage.