Why Public Sector Strategy Stalls and How to Restore Momentum

I am working with a public sector agency facing a familiar pattern. There is strong strategic intent and genuine commitment to community outcomes, yet the daily reality feels scattered and heavy. The system is stretched, pulled by competing demands, new priorities and structural limits that make it hard to focus, collaborate or adapt.

People are working hard. Effort is everywhere. Real momentum is not.

When I step back with the team, the signals point to a systemic issue rather than a resourcing question.

Fragmented effort. Teams are delivering, but not always with a shared view of what matters most. Coordination takes significant energy in a system with very little slack.
​Reactivity taking the lead. Work is shaped by what is loudest, not what is most strategic.
​No agreed way to say no. Without a clear and living strategy, every new request feels unavoidable, regardless of the impact on capacity or alignment.
​Unclear stewardship. Strategy can sit between tiers, teams and timelines without a shared way of holding it.

These are not signs of underperformance. They are signals from the system calling for different leadership and a different relationship to strategy.

The invitation: Strategy as a Living Practice

In complex environments, strategy cannot sit on a shelf or be revisited every three years. It needs to live in the daily rhythm of the organisation. When strategy becomes a living practice, it creates shared focus, collective sense-making and clearer choices.

In practice, this looks like:

Strategy as rhythm rather than roadmap. Regular cycles of reflection, priority setting and adjustment that keep attention on what matters most.
​Strategy as energy rather than artefact. Strategy shows up in how resources are focused, how tensions are navigated and how meaning is made across silos.
​Strategy as stewardship. Leaders tend strategy together and hold it collectively, creating coherence across the system.

This shift helps leaders work with complexity rather than push against it. It strengthens the organisation’s ability to see clearly, align quickly and act coherently.

The Strategic Refresh

I am working with agencies now to set 2026 up for strategic momentum.

We are identifying the key strategic inflection points for the year ahead and putting the supports in place early so that alignment and traction are easier to achieve. If you would like to explore how this could support your organisation, reach out for a conversation by replying to this email.

Warmly,
Claire