PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to help top managers find ways of involving implementers of strategy at the strategic formulation level.Design/methodology/approachThe author has conducted research in organisations that have come up with strategic plans, identified how top managers fail to include implementers when formulating strategy, and advises them on how to avoid this trap.FindingsGrasping the real reason for involving implementers in strategy formulation for top managers may be a difficult task, though it is a fact that employees contribute better when they are involved in the planning stage.Practical implicationsMethods are provided for top managers to follow when formulating strategy.Originality/valueThis paper gives practical advice from situations in organisations and helps managers to involve all stakeholders holistically when formulating a strategy.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to help managers and leaders with the necessary information to implement a cure for poor organizational performanceDesign/methodology/approachThe author has conducted research in organizations and has found out that many organizations are being affected by dysfunctional leadership, which is acting as a cancer, eating up many organizations.FindingsDysfunctional leadership has been found to be the cancer that eats many organizations.Practical implicationsBest practices are provided to cure challenges caused by bad leadership.Originality/valueThis paper gives practical advice from situations in organizations and helps organizations to identify signs of bad leadership and how they can be cured.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to help organisations view strategy as a profession and something that needs training rather than something that is hard‐wired in executives when they are employed to top positions in organisations.Design/methodology/approachThe author conducted research in organizations and found that strategy is in a state of crisis and has hit on hard times, mainly because executives do not have knowledge in strategic management and organisations make assumptions when executives are employed that they are strategists.FindingsThe assumption that when executives are employed they can think and act strategically has been refuted by this study since executives have shown lack of knowledge of strategic issues.Practical implicationsMethods are provided for organizations so that they can reduce the vacuum in strategy practitioners.Originality/valueThis paper gives practical advice from situations in organizations and helps organizations to reduce the vacuum in strategy practitioners.

PurposeTo help companies find ways of reducing costs when an executive director leaves an organisation because of poor performance or at the end of a contract.Design/methodology/approachThe author has conducted research in organizations that have executives on contracts for three to five years, identifies how executive directors are heavily rewarded when their contract ends voluntarily or involuntarily. Researches in organisations have shown that if you sign a contract as an executive director there is no incentive for excellent performance because most contracts of executives are designed in such a way that poor performance can be rewarded indirectly.FindingsVery few executives in Zimbabwe work through their contracts up to the end especially in parastatals due to what is perceived as poor performance but they are always met with a “golden handshake” as they call it though they have not contributed much except the demise of the organisation.Practical implicationsWays are provided for organisations to follow and try to mitigate the costs of paying executives when they leave organisations unceremoniously or when their contracts end without renewal.Originality/valueThis paper gives practical advice from situations in organizations and helps organisations to take into account the costs implications involved when an executive director leaves the organisation before the end of contract or poor performance.

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