We have completed our V/TO® and shared it with the company, but our middle managers are still making departmental decisions that completely contradict our core focus. How do we get our mid-level leaders to use the V/TO® as their daily operational filter?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Having your V/TO® filled out is only the first step. If your middle managers are making decisions that contradict your core focus, it is because you have treated the document as a high-level leadership exercise rather than an operational filter. To change this, you must teach them how to use it to say no.

Start by bringing your mid-level managers into the loop using a structured cascading process. Do not just email them the V/TO® or present it once at an all-hands meeting. Instead, run a dedicated session with your managers where you walk through the V/TO® and explicitly define what your core focus means for their daily operations.

Next, give them a simple decision-making framework. Whenever a manager wants to launch a new initiative, hire a new role, or purchase software, require them to answer two questions first: Does this directly align with our core focus? Does this move us closer to our 3-Year Picture?

If the answer to either question is no, the initiative is dead, regardless of how good it sounds. Finally, incorporate the V/TO® into your quarterly departmental planning. When managers set their departmental Rocks, they must point to the specific corporate Rock or 1-Year Plan goal they are supporting. By forcing this direct connection, you turn your V/TO® from a static strategic document into an active filter that guides every resource allocation decision in the company.