A practical framework for Strategy Execution that actually works
Most law firms don’t have a strategy problem. They have a follow-through problem.
The goals are there. The plan is there. The commitment, even, is often there. But somehow, momentum stalls. Partners carry too much of the weight. Associates keep their heads down, unsure where to focus beyond the billable. And critical, high-value priorities - like client engagement, innovation, or business development - fall by the wayside.
We’ve seen this pattern play out across firms of every size. That’s why I suggest using the PROPEL acronym - a simple, practical framework designed to help you reconnect your people with your strategy, and turn performance drift into purposeful execution.
Here’s how PROPEL works, and how it aligns with the way we work at UNLOK.
P – Problem
You already have a strategy. But execution keeps slipping.
We often hear firms say things like, “We set clear goals, but we don’t follow through,” or “It feels like the same three people are carrying the whole firm.” These are not signs of a lack of ambition—they’re symptoms of a deeper issue: strategic priorities aren’t reaching the rest of the team in a meaningful, actionable way.
R – Root Cause
People default to the urgent because the important feels unclear.
Your strategic goals - whether they’re about growing a client segment, building new IP capability, or improving team culture - aren’t clearly connected to individual strengths or daily actions. Without this connection, most people will gravitate back to what’s familiar, urgent, or easy to measure.
O – Opportunity
Strategy becomes real when it’s personal.
Your firm can unlock untapped performance by helping every person on your team understand how their unique talents can support the firm’s goals. When people see where they fit and how they contribute, they become far more focused, engaged, and energised. Even better? When their progress is tracked, it builds momentum - and accountability.
P – Proposition
UNLOK makes that connection real.
We work with your team to identify each person’s natural strengths - what they’re great at, and what energises them - and align those strengths to clear, strategic actions. We then help you establish a weekly rhythm of accountability that keeps those actions moving. Not more admin. Not more meetings. Just structured visibility and meaningful traction.
E – Evidence
This works. Fast.
In just nine weeks, one UNLOK client (a mid-sized law firm) saw productivity rise from 71% to 89% - unlocking a 3% increase in revenue - without restructuring, hiring, or adding pressure. The shift came simply from aligning talent with action, and tracking it with consistency.
L – Logic
You already have the legal talent. The structure is what’s missing.
Strategy execution doesn’t need to be heroic. It needs to be shared. When each level of the firm understands how to contribute - and is given a simple structure to stay accountable - strategy becomes a shared, measurable reality.
Ready to PROPEL your firm forward?
Let’s turn your strategy from a talking point into a performance engine - without burning anyone out.