As a CEO of a small or mid-sized company, you wear multiple hats.
One moment, you’re shaping the long-term vision—expanding markets, launching products, or scaling operations. The next, you’re deep in day-to-day execution—solving customer issues, optimizing operations, and making tactical decisions.
Many CEOs struggle to shift between these two modes:
❌ Too much time in the clouds? You risk losing touch with execution—great strategy but poor follow-through.
❌ Too much time on the ground? You risk short-term firefighting—stuck in the weeds, missing opportunities to scale.
So, how do you balance both and lead effectively?
The answer: Mastering Cloud to Ground Floor Thinking, combined with The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking and the ability to switch between tactical and strategic mindsets.
Let’s break it down. 👇
Why This Matters for Small & Mid-Sized CEOs
Unlike Fortune 500 CEOs with massive teams to delegate execution, you don’t have that luxury.
You need to think strategically and execute efficiently—often with limited resources.
The key is knowing when to think long-term (strategy) and when to act in the moment (tactics).
Marko Matijasevic explains this as the difference between:
Strategic Thinking (Cloud): Making proactive, long-term decisions for where the business should go.
Tactical Thinking (Ground Floor): Reacting effectively to short-term problems without losing sight of strategy.
🔹 CEOs stuck in strategy fail to move the business forward in real-time.
🔹 CEOs who get stuck in execution never build a scalable company.
The best CEOs transition seamlessly between both modes—and here’s how.
Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking Applied to Cloud-to-Ground Leadership
Michael Watkins outlines six key disciplines to enhance strategic thinking. Let’s explore each one with practical takeaways for CEOs.
1️⃣ Pattern Recognition (Spot Trends Early)
🔹 The best CEOs see around corners—spotting trends before competitors do.
🔹 Example: AI, sustainability, and supply chain shifts are macro trends. How do they impact your industry?
💡 Takeaway: Block 30 minutes weekly to scan industry trends, competitor moves, and emerging tech. Use Google Alerts, industry reports, and customer conversations as early signals.
2️⃣ Systems Thinking (See the Whole Picture)
🔹 Every decision you make creates a ripple effect across your business.
🔹 Example: Cutting marketing costs may save money today but slow revenue growth next quarter.
💡 Takeaway: Before making key decisions, map out the cause-and-effect relationships. Ask: How does this impact customers, employees, and financial health?
3️⃣ Mental Agility (Shift Between Strategy & Execution)
🔹 Great CEOs zoom out to think big, then zoom in to execute effectively.
🔹 Example: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos set a 10-year vision, but he also obsessed over daily logistics.
💡 Takeaway: Build a decision filter:
“Am I thinking too high-level right now?”
“Am I stuck in the weeds and missing the big picture?”
If yes, adjust your perspective.
4️⃣ Structured Problem-Solving (Move Fast on Execution)
🔹 Growth isn’t just about vision—it’s about solving real problems fast.
🔹 Example: If customer retention drops, why? Is it service quality? Pricing? Competition? Diagnose and fix it quickly.
💡 Takeaway: Use the 5 Whys Method to find root causes fast. Instead of surface-level fixes, keep asking "Why?" until you uncover the real problem.
5️⃣ Visioning (Make Strategy Simple & Clear)
🔹 A great CEO translates vision into simple, actionable direction for employees.
🔹 Example: Howard Schultz at Starbucks didn’t just sell coffee—he built a vision of a “third place” between work and home, giving employees and customers a clear mission to align with.
💡 Takeaway: Write your company’s strategy in one sentence. If your team can’t repeat it back, it’s too complex. Simplify.
6️⃣ Political Savvy (Align People for Execution)
🔹 Strategy fails if your team isn’t bought in.
🔹 Example: The best CEOs don’t just announce strategy—they actively get buy-in to ensure execution.
💡 Takeaway: Meet with key employees regularly and ask:
“What’s getting in the way of executing our strategy?”
“What support do you need to move faster?”
Remove obstacles. Clear the runway. Drive results.
Final Thought: Mastering Cloud-to-Ground Leadership
As the CEO of a growing company, you don’t have the luxury of just being a strategist or an executor. You must master both.
🚀 Cloud Thinking: See the big picture, spot trends, and craft a clear vision.
🏢 Ground Floor Execution: Solve real problems, remove barriers, and align teams to execute.
📌 The Best CEOs Ask Themselves Regularly:
✅ Am I too focused on strategy and neglecting execution?
✅ Am I too focused on execution and missing big opportunities?
✅ Am I balancing both in a way that drives scalable growth?
Mastering this balance is what separates companies that stall from those that scale.
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