I love a plan on a page. My favourite tool for creating one?

A stack of Post-its and some colored pens — very low tech.

Planning isn’t my core strength; I much prefer coming up with creative solutions and letting someone else figure out the details.

I know I’m not alone in this. But in the Compliance world, its often the opposite way around. Teams are often great at the detail but not always as focused at mapping out the bigger picture.

The importance of that strategic focus hit home for me during a complex transformation programme. It felt like driving a car while building it — firefighting from one thing to the next.

Exciting, yes, but exhausting for the whole team as we struggled to understand priorities.

The turning point was a team workshop where we mapped out exactly where we were headed and who was responsible for what.

It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many teams have goals and objectives without a clear, unified vision of where they’re going.

You’ll know this is happening if your team is constantly putting out fires.

Every day brings another urgent issue demanding immediate attention.

Before you know it, the day is over, and your team has spent all its energy reacting to problems instead of moving forward on strategic goals.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Many risk and compliance teams get stuck in a cycle of urgency, dealing with immediate problems at the expense of future-focused work.

These firefighting moments might seem essential, but they prevent your team from addressing the root causes and focusing on what will drive long-term sustainable success.

When your team spends all its time reacting to crises, it becomes difficult to focus on the bigger picture. You feel the pressure of tight deadlines, regulatory demands, and stakeholder expectations, but being in constant reactive mode leaves your team feeling overwhelmed, fragmented, and ineffective—not to mention exhausted.

You may find yourself asking:

• Are we really moving forward, or just spinning our wheels?
• Why do we keep facing the same issues repeatedly?
• Is this our new normal—putting out fires day after day?

In this firefighting environment, team morale drops, and creativity is stifled.

To break out of this cycle, you need to shift from reactive firefighting to proactive, strategic thinking.

This doesn’t mean you’ll never face urgent issues again, but it does mean creating a team environment where fires are handled appropriately, and the team quickly gets back to what drives meaningful change.

The key to unleashing your team’s potential lies in fostering alignment around shared strategic objectives.

When everyone is on the same page, your team can focus on opportunities that enhance effectiveness and efficiency in decision-making.

It starts with alignment.

When every team member understands the strategic vision and their role in achieving it, your team moves from fragmented firefighting to unified progress.

A cohesive team environment leads to:

When aligned around long-term goals, it’s easier to identify which fires are worth addressing and which can be deprioritised or delegated.

This helps the team anticipate potential risks and opportunities, addressing them before they become urgent problems.

When everyone understands the strategic vision, team members feel empowered to make decisions autonomously, reducing the need for constant oversight.

Imagine your team spending less time putting out fires and more time focusing on the future. This shift not only reduces stress but also opens up opportunities for innovation and growth.

With the right alignment, your team can anticipate challenges and make better decisions.

The ripple effect of this change can transform your entire organisation.

A team that works proactively rather than reactively moves faster, delivers better results, and experiences a stronger sense of accomplishment.