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You Can’t Drive a Boat to the Moon

Most leaders we meet are frustrated. They have a clear goal. They have a hardworking team. They have the "fuel" (budget) to get there. Yet, they aren't moving. Or worse, they are moving, but in circles.


They often blame the market, the economy, or their team's execution. But usually, the problem isn't what they are doing.


The problem is Strategic Resonance.



The Physics of Strategy


At Frost Strategic, we define Strategic Resonance not as a buzzword, but as a matter of physics. It is the reverberating effect that happens at the precise convergence of three elements:

  1. Core Identity (The Vehicle: Who you are)

  2. The Vision (The Destination: Where you are going)

  3. The Energy (The Fuel: The resources to get you there)


When these three concepts operate on the same frequency, the effect is "loud." Momentum builds. Growth feels natural. But when they are out of alignment, you get noise. You get friction. You get stuck.


The Vehicle Metaphor


Why is this so crucial for your growth? Because most organizations confuse their Destination with their Vehicle.


Think of your Core Identity—your purpose, your unique strengths, your culture—as your vehicle. Everyone’s vehicle is unique. Some are built for speed; others for capacity. Some are rugged off-roaders; others are precision instruments.


Your vehicle is the only means of transportation you have.


Here is where the "Ambiguity Trap" snaps shut: The extent of your potential depends entirely on the type of vehicle you are in.


If your Vision (Destination) is to reach the moon, but your Core Identity (Vehicle) is a nautical vessel, you are already at a disadvantage. It doesn't matter how much "fuel" (capital) you pour into the tank. It doesn't matter how inspiring the Captain's speech is.


You cannot drive a boat to the moon.


Are You a Sedan Trying to Fly?


We see this constantly in the corporate world. An organization claims its goal is "Disruptive Innovation" (The Moon). But its internal identity—its processes, its risk tolerance, its decision-making hierarchy—is built for safety, redundancy, and slow, incremental change (A Cargo Ship).


They are claiming to be one thing while designed to be another.


If you confuse your future goal with your actual current vehicle, your company will inevitably fail. You can claim to be an agile fighter jet, but if your chassis is a minivan, you will never understand why you aren't flying. You will simply burn out your engine trying to do something you weren't built to do.


The Mirror Test


Finding your Core Identity is simple, but it is rarely easy. It requires a radical act of honesty. It requires looking in the mirror.


Dr. Melissa Reade, a friend, and unknowing mentor of mine, and Director of Leader Valley, taught me a valuable lesson about evaluating systems. She said, "When evaluating an initiative, seek to identify two crucial facts: who benefits the most and who benefits the least."


The same logic applies to the mirror test. What does your organization actually reward? What do you actually do when the pressure is on?


There is a natural law of attraction that compels us to align with our true Core Identity, regardless of how we deceive ourselves. Until you are honest about the vehicle you are sitting in, you cannot change your trajectory.


Escaping the Trap


This is the primary reason so many organizations are caught in the Ambiguity Trap. They are sitting on the sofa (Current Reality) believing they are already at the store (Vision).


Strategic Resonance begins the moment you stop pretending.

  • Step 1: Admit what vehicle you

    are currently driving.

  • Step 2: Decide if that vehicle can actually reach your destination.

  • Step 3: If it can’t, you must either change the destination or rebuild the vehicle.


Stop fighting physics. Start building resonance.


Next Steps for You:


  • Review your "Vehicle": Does your team currently have the internal "wiring" (systems and strengths) to reach the goals you set for Q4?

  • Check the "Fuel": Are you putting high-octane fuel (top talent/budget) into a vehicle that is broken?

  • Start the Blueprint: If you aren't sure what your Core Identity is, we should talk.



 
 
 

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