Executing on a Digital Strategy: From Slide Deck to Delivery

Episode 20 of the Michael Martino Show podcast, hosted by Michael, titled "Executing on a Digital Strategy: From Slide Deck to Delivery" was published on April 22, 2025 and runs 5 minutes.

April 22, 2025 ·5m · Michael Martino Show

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Summary

How do we move from a perfectly worded digital strategy document -- to actual change? To better services, better outcomes, and better trust in government? The strategy trap Here’s the thing: most digital strategies aren’t wrong. They talk about being customer-centric. They talk about using data. They talk about agile delivery, scalable platforms, and working in the open. All good. All true. But here’s what happens. That strategy gets approved by the executive team. Maybe even launched in a town hall. Then it disappears. Why? Because a strategy is only as good as its execution muscle. Here’s the trap—strategy without delivery becomes performance. A performance of innovation, but not the real thing. Execution starts with alignment So how do we flip it? How do we execute? It starts with alignment at the leadership level. You need your deputy ministers, you senior leaders, your directors, and your senior managers—all aligned to the strategy. Not just nodding in meetings, but actively reinforcing digital delivery as how the organization works now. Here’s what alignment sounds like: “What’s the user insight behind this feature?” “Are we testing this with real customers?” “How fast can we ship a version of this to learn something?” If you hear those questions in meetings, you are on the right track Create delivery Once the leadership is aligned, you have to put digital teams on real customer problems – not hearing from what mid-level leaders think. Too often, these teams are buried in a corner, far from the action. Real transformation happens when delivery teams sit next to policy teams, program owners, and frontline staff. When they’re part of decision-making, not just implementers. And when that happens, something magical starts to occur— The organization pulls towards the people doing the work. Show the work, build the trust Delivery is not just about outputs. It’s about trust. Trust comes from visibility. That means sharing progress regularly. With customers, staff and leadership with: show-and-tells weekly notes publishing progress on your digital channels. When people see the work evolving— problems and all—they believe it’s real. People get involved and feel the momentum. Momentum is what carries teams through the tough parts. Fund for agility, not control Traditional funding models look like this: Big business case Big procurement Big expectations Big disappointment. Instead, you’ve got to fund small, fast learning cycles. Invest in a team. Give them a clear outcome. Let them test, iterate, and scale. This doesn’t mean less governance—it means better governance. One that tracks outcomes, not just activities. Execution means giving people room to succeed—and permission to adjust when they learn something new. Putting digital first The final piece? Make digital the default. Not a side project. Not a pilot. Digital is the way the agency does business. This means writing job descriptions that expect digital skills. It means rewarding people who collaborate across silos. Most important it means shifting language—from “digital” as a noun to “digital” as an adjective: Not a digital project. A better service. Not a digital team. A modern team. It’s subtle, but powerful. The bottom line Execution is hard, political, messy and it is also the most rewarding part of the journey. When done correctly there is massive change. You see citizens access services in minutes, not weeks. You see a frontline worker spend less time on paperwork and more time with people. You see public trust grow. It all starts when you move from strategy to delivery.

Episode Description

How do we move from a perfectly worded digital strategy document -- to actual change?

To better services, better outcomes, and better trust in government?

The strategy trap

Here’s the thing: most digital strategies aren’t wrong.

They talk about being customer-centric. They talk about using data.

They talk about agile delivery, scalable platforms, and working in the open.
All good. All true.

But here’s what happens.

That strategy gets approved by the executive team.

Maybe even launched in a town hall.

Then it disappears.

Why?

Because a strategy is only as good as its execution muscle.

Here’s the trap—strategy without delivery becomes performance.

A performance of innovation, but not the real thing.

Execution starts with alignment

So how do we flip it? How do we execute?

It starts with alignment at the leadership level.

You need your deputy ministers, you senior leaders, your directors, and your senior managers—all aligned to the strategy.

Not just nodding in meetings, but actively reinforcing digital delivery as how the organization works now.

Here’s what alignment sounds like:

“What’s the user insight behind this feature?”
“Are we testing this with real customers?”
“How fast can we ship a version of this to learn something?”

If you hear those questions in meetings, you are on the right track

Create delivery

Once the leadership is aligned, you have to put digital teams on real customer problems – not hearing from what mid-level leaders think.

Too often, these teams are buried in a corner, far from the action.

Real transformation happens when delivery teams sit next to policy teams, program owners, and frontline staff.

When they’re part of decision-making, not just implementers.

And when that happens, something magical starts to occur— The organization pulls towards the people doing the work.

Show the work, build the trust

Delivery is not just about outputs. It’s about trust. Trust comes from visibility.

That means sharing progress regularly. With customers, staff and leadership with:

show-and-tells
weekly notes
publishing progress on your digital channels.

When people see the work evolving— problems and all—they believe it’s real.

People get involved and feel the momentum. Momentum is what carries teams through the tough parts.

Fund for agility, not control

Traditional funding models look like this:

Big business case
Big procurement
Big expectations
Big disappointment.

Instead, you’ve got to fund small, fast learning cycles. Invest in a team. Give them a clear outcome. Let them test, iterate, and scale. This doesn’t mean less governance—it means better governance. One that tracks outcomes, not just activities.

Execution means giving people room to succeed—and permission to adjust when they learn something new.

Putting digital first

The final piece?

Make digital the default. Not a side project. Not a pilot.

Digital is the way the agency does business.

This means writing job descriptions that expect digital skills.

It means rewarding people who collaborate across silos.

Most important it means shifting language—from “digital” as a noun to “digital” as an adjective:

Not a digital project. A better service.
Not a digital team. A modern team.

It’s subtle, but powerful.

The bottom line

Execution is hard, political, messy and it is also the most rewarding part of the journey. When done correctly there is massive change.

You see citizens access services in minutes, not weeks. You see a frontline worker spend less time on paperwork and more time with people. You see public trust grow.

It all starts when you move from strategy to delivery.