We completed our V/TO and shared it with the company, but our mid-level managers still make operational decisions that completely contradict our three-year picture. How do we build the V/TO directly into our managers' decision-making filters?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Sharing the V/TO® with your company is only the first step. If your managers are still making decisions that contradict your three-year picture, it is because they view the document as a corporate announcement rather than an active operating filter. You must turn the V/TO® into a tool they use to say no to distracting projects.

Start by requiring every department head to run their quarterly department plans through the lens of the V/TO® core focus and marketing strategy. When a manager proposes a new initiative, your first question must always be: which specific part of our V/TO® does this support? If they cannot point to a direct line of sight between their idea and your target, the idea is tabled.

Additionally, you should introduce the V/TO® during your performance reviews and one-on-one check-ins. Use the core values to evaluate behavioral alignment and use the three-year picture to contextualize their personal growth goals. When managers realize that their budgets, team structures, and professional advancements are directly tied to the strategic goals outlined in the V/TO®, they will naturally begin filtering their daily choices through it. The goal is to move the document from a static presentation slide to a daily decision-making framework that guides every dollar spent and every hour logged.