The Client

A digital products division inside a global pharmaceutical organization, responsible for commercializing multiple software products for oncology care simultaneously, each at a different stage of maturity, inside a highly matrixed structure.

The Situation

Execution relied heavily on individual teams managing their own priorities. Progress was difficult to assess holistically, dependencies surfaced late, and leadership had limited visibility into outcomes across the portfolio.

The Challenge

• Too many possible directions and initiatives competed for attention

• Product discussions centered on features and releases rather than intended outcomes

• Goals were siloed across complementary products, with prioritization varying by team and function

• Visibility of objectives across the portfolio was limited, and product goals drifted from business goals

Activity was high, but coherence across the portfolio was weak. The gap wasn't effort or talent, product teams were capable and producing quality work, it was a lack of shared priorities, cadence, and accountability holding the portfolio together.

What We Did

We supported the organization in embedding a strategy execution rhythm built around a small number of shared, outcome-oriented priorities. OKRs were positioned explicitly as a priority definition and execution mechanism, not a strategy formulation tool, established through a quarterly rhythm integrated with existing product and business cadences.

Portfolio-level priorities were defined first, creating a common directional anchor. Product teams then defined their own OKRs within that shared frame, made fully transparent across the portfolio, and used as a primary input into prioritization and decision-making. Ownership across objectives and supporting initiatives was clarified throughout.

OKRs functioned as part of a broader execution system, not a standalone framework, leadership cadence, priority reviews, and retrospectives were all designed to build transparency, learning, and accountability across teams.

The Results

• Leadership conversations moved from features and outputs to objectives and intended outcomes

• Meetings became decision- and action-oriented rather than status-driven

• Portfolio-level dialogue improved materially in quality

• Annual and quarterly planning became more focused and effective

• A unified approach to prioritization emerged across teams

• Visibility across products increased, enabling coordination and learning

Execution became more consistent and more coherent across the portfolio.

Role and Approach

We acted as the designer of the execution approach, trainer, and hands-on partner to the product leadership team, with the focus throughout on enabling internal leaders to sustain the rhythm independently over time.