Goodbye Greece, Hello Home, Executing Strategic Thrusts
- PG Geldenhuys
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Three years ago, I decided I wanted to do expand my international training footprint into Europe. This opened up a wonderful opportunity to work in the entrepreneurial eco-system in Greece. And it’s been a great ride, and a more than two-year contract engagement is coming to an end. Last year, I was determined to focus more on local opportunities, the shorter flights much less taxing on my family.
Which is how, last week, I had the privilege of standing on the top floor of the Marriott Hotel in Athens, surrounded by 50 committed founders and business leaders, with the Aegean Sea glinting below, the Athens Opera House in view, and the air charged with intention. It was my final Execution Learning Day with the Greece chapter of EOA - an unforgettable crescendo after two seasons of strategic growth. Armed with a powerful metaphor from the world of conducting, we ended of in style focusing on how you turn strategy into reality through articulating your key priorities.
In Verne Harnish’s Scaling Up, Key Thrusts are the 3-5 big strategic initiatives or capabilities you must build over the next 3-5 years to bridge the gap between today’s business and your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal).
Think of them as mid-term momentum builders - they are not daily tasks or lofty dreams, but concrete, bold moves that shift your company into the future.
Let’s say your BHAG is to become the leading eco-luxury hospitality brand in Southern Europe by 2030. Your Key Thrusts might be:
Expand into 3 new coastal markets by 2027 with flagship properties
Develop a proprietary AI-powered guest experience platform
Secure 5 strategic joint ventures with carbon-neutral suppliers
Build a performance-driven leadership team with internal succession plans
Increase customer lifetime value through a high-touch loyalty programme
Each thrust becomes a capability or position that, once built, can't easily be undone - and makes your company stronger, leaner, or more differentiated in the market.
Here’s where most teams go wrong: they brainstorm ideas at the annual offsite, agree on a few general goals, and then hope momentum carries them through the year.
Here’s a better way: start with the truth. Begin with a Rockefeller Habits Checklist. This diagnostic reveals where your execution is solid and where your scaling engine is stuck. From there, you can triangulate the real priorities hiding under the surface.
My priorities? I am back to training in South Africa from July onwards. I enjoyed my European adventure and made some good friends, and in my time here we doubled the size of the chapter and created some irresistible momentum.
Having said that, there is something compelling by helping founders at home grow their capability, enabling them to scale and level up their impact. Job creation = pride = a better country, and I’m all in. Joburg and Durban, buckle up. I’m back, and it’s go time.
Well, almost. First, I’ll take a quick side trip to Mykonos and Santorini…
PG’s Pro Tip:
If you’re leading an offsite or planning day soon, here’s a flow you can follow to uncover and commit to your strategic thrusts (AI Assist in link):
Score your business honestly. Where are your cracks? Where are you coasting? Look for low scores and recurring bottlenecks.
Revisit Your BHAG and Core Purpose
Ask: What would have to be true in three years for this BHAG to become real?
Map the Strategic Gaps
What major moves, capabilities, or partnerships do you need to build now to close the gap? Think in systems, talent, products, markets.
Define the 3-5 Key Thrusts
Choose the bold, clear bets that will move the needle. Each thrust should pass the test: Will this materially change our trajectory?
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