I mean put it this way: (different study, different people) When presented with the companies strategy in a multiple choice quiz, only 29% correctly identified the strategy. By default all those companies had a strategy, it just wasn’t communicated.

I think it’s fair to argue almost companies with employees likely “have” one. But… I don’t think just having a strategy is the problem. It’s what you do with it, as leadership, once it’s been made.

Many things get in the way of the strategy just working:

• Leadership buy-in (only 65% of companies have had leaders “agree” to their strategy.)
• Resources allocated properly behind the strategy.
• Clear goals and milestones based on it.
• Clarity for individual roles linking to the strategy.
• Talent and skills aligned to the strategy.
• Clear timely feedback on people/goals.

All of it boils down to the sad fact that less than 10% of strategies are successful executed. Which I think is more of the core problem.