The 90-Day Strategy Cycle

The operating rhythm for organisations moving faster than planning cycles.

Why this matters

Annual planning assumes stability.Monthly planning creates chaos.Most high-performing strategy teams now run on a 90-day strategic cycle:

• long enough to deliver outcomes

• short enough to adjust to new signals
  

It’s the simplest way to turn strategy into execution.

How it works (simple and proven)

1) Set 3–5 outcomes for the next 90 days

These are business outcomes, not tasks.

Strong examples:

• “Automate two workflows in Finance with measurable time savings.”

• “Cut forecasting cycle-time by 15%.”

• “Roll out AI governance standards to three business units.”

Weak example:

• “Run pilot.” (Too vague; no value created.)

2) Run a 30-day check-in

Ask four questions:

1. What’s working?

2. What’s stuck (root cause only)?

3. What’s changed externally since we started?

4. What one adjustment improves the next 30 days?

This keeps momentum without re-planning.

3) Hold a weekly 30-minute calibration

Purpose: alignment + a decision.

Agenda:

• 2 wins

• 2 friction points

• 1 clear move (budget, talent, or priority change)

• Confirm owner + due date

If a weekly session doesn’t change anything, it wasn’t a strategy meeting — it was a status update.

4) Reset after 90 days

Carry forward what worked.Kill or pivot the rest.Set 3–5 new outcomes.

A real example (anonymised)

A major insurer replaced quarterly strategy reviews with a 90-day cycle.

In 6 months:

• 5 stalled “AI pilots” were killed

• 2 workflows automated end-to-end

• Cycle-time for planning reduced by 40%

• Strategy team reclaimed 20% capacity (less reporting, more execution)

  
  

Outcome: Strategy started directing resources, not just producing decks.

What “good” looks like

• Every 90-day outcome is measurable

• Weekly calibrations produce one real decision or resource movement

• The strategy team isn’t “project managing” — they’re unblocking and enabling

• The organisation talks about outcomes, not tasks

  
  

Common failure modes to avoid

• Too many priorities (more than 5 = noise)

• Turning the cycle into an admin ritual

• Confusing reporting with learning

• Not making actual resource shifts

• Managers treating outcomes as “stretch goals” instead of commitments

  
  

Two metrics that matter

• Decision latency: time from issue → decision (target < 7 days)

• Outcome confidence: % of 90-day outcomes on track by Day 30 and 60