Shape your work, influence strategy
In my recent post on a practical toolkit for technology strategy, I explored how frameworks like Wardley Maps and Pace Layering help us understand the strategic landscape. These are excellent for creating a high-level diagnosis, but the crucial next step is translating that vision into concrete work for our teams.
I recently came across an excellent article by Frederick Vanbrabant, “Choosing where to spend my team’s effort,” that provides a hands-on, ground-level guide for this challenge, applicable even within large corporate organisations. He explains how teams can identify and fill gaps in high-level strategy, allowing them to propose their own valuable projects. This approach is not just for managers; it is equally powerful for product owners, principal engineers, or any leader wanting to influence decisions and shape the technical direction.
Frederick’s core idea is that teams can and should move from being passive recipients of tasks to proactive contributors to the strategy. He captures this shift perfectly:
Replace assigned work with chosen work. That’s the shift.
This is a powerful mindset change. It is not about adding more work but about shaping the work that is already planned to deliver greater value. Frederick outlines a straightforward process for any team lead to connect their work directly to organisational goals.
1. Truly understand the ‘why’
The first step is to go beyond simply reading the strategy document. Frederick advocates for having a deep conversation with your manager about the company’s direction and the reasoning behind it. As he rightly points out:
What you see depends on where you sit. That means there might be gaps in vision, gaps that you can fill.
By understanding the bigger picture, you can identify opportunities that might not be visible from higher up.
2. Connect strategy to projects
With a clear understanding of the goals, the next step is to brainstorm how your team can contribute. Frederick suggests a simplified version of an opportunity solution tree (from Teresa Torres):
- Start with a strategic goal (e.g., “reduce operational costs”).
- Brainstorm broad actions (e.g., “automate manual processes”).
- Define specific projects (e.g., “build an API to connect the sales and delivery platforms”).
- Outline a proof of concept to quickly test the idea’s value.
This process does more than just generate ideas; it builds a business case. When you can directly link a project to an organisational goal, you are no longer just pitching a technical task. You are presenting a solution. This makes the project far easier to champion. As Frederick notes:
If you can pitch your projects in the framework of the company’s strategy your odds of a successful pitch will skyrocket, most of the convincing has been done for you already.
You are speaking the language of the business, which makes it easier for your manager to support and sponsor your proposal.
3. Find the multiplier effect
The most valuable projects are those that serve multiple strategic goals at once. Using the API example, not only does it reduce manual labour (cutting costs), but it might also provide real-time data needed for a future innovation project (increasing speed and capability).
This is where the high-level view from a Wardley Map, as discussed in my previous post, becomes so effective. By mapping your value chain, you can spot where a single technical improvement—like building that API—can unlock value across different parts of the business. Frederick’s method gives you the team-level process to propose and justify that work.
Your seat at the table
This approach is a practical way to increase your team’s autonomy and impact. By consistently proposing well-reasoned projects that align with company goals, you demonstrate strategic thinking. Over time, this helps you earn the freedom to shape your team’s direction, moving from assigned work to chosen work that truly makes a difference.
