The Curse of BAU
Every organization wrestles with the challenge of implementing new strategies while keeping the current business running. Teams are already fully engaged in their “day jobs”—what’s often referred to as business as usual (BAU) or run-the-business (RTB) work. This tension between sustaining current operations and pursuing strategic change is one of the most common pitfalls in execution.
While it’s essential to continue delivering results for the existing business, the truth is the status quo isn’t enough. If it were, we wouldn’t need a new strategy. Something isn’t working—whether it’s a current problem or an emerging challenge—and change is necessary. But change doesn’t magically happen in the margins of an already packed calendar. To succeed, we have to intentionally make room for it.
The Trap of “Building the Plane While Flying It”
Many leaders fall into the trap of saying, “We’ll build the plane while we’re flying it.” It’s a phrase that’s become almost a badge of honor in business circles, signaling agility and resilience. But let’s pause for a moment—would you ever step onto a plane that was being built in mid-air? Neither would I. Yet that’s exactly the kind of risk and pressure we place on our teams when we pile new strategic initiatives on top of already maxed-out workloads.
The reality is that the day-to-day work needed to sustain the business doesn’t stop. The whirlwind of BAU continues to demand time, focus, and energy. And that’s where so many strategy execution efforts falter—not because the strategy is flawed, but because we fail to acknowledge just how much BAU consumes.
Teams often push back: ‘We can’t stop doing our day jobs.’ They’re right—but BAU should crowd out strategy?
We can’t ignore the whirlwind, but we also can’t let it consume all our capacity. The challenge lies in striking the right balance—being realistic about BAU’s demands while deliberately carving out time and space for the work that truly moves the needle. The key isn’t to accept BAU’s dominance as inevitable. It’s to actively contain it, making room for the initiatives that drive the business forward.
The Tyranny of the Urgent
“Nothing in life is as important as you think it is while you are thinking about it.” — Daniel Kahneman
Short-term priorities often crowd out long-term planning. Urgent tasks feel more pressing than important ones, even when the long-term work is what will ultimately move the business forward.
This is the tyranny of the urgent. Left unchecked, it keeps organizations reactive rather than proactive, trapped in a cycle where the immediate constantly overshadows the strategic.
The key to escaping the BAU trap is to manage it with intention. That starts by imposing constraints on BAU itself. We often focus on how to make space for strategic work, but the real opportunity lies in deciding how much space BAU is allowed to occupy. We’ve previous laid the groundwork with tools from Stop the Yes Mess and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Now it’s about applying those same principles to the day-to-day operations that tend to run on autopilot.
Managing the BAU Trap: Practical Strategies and Key Questions
Escaping the BAU trap starts with acknowledging the tension between running the business and changing the business. The goal isn’t to eliminate BAU—it’s to manage it with intention. This means creating space for strategic work without compromising operations.
Here’s how to approach it, blending practical strategies with reflective questions to guide your actions:
Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities
Strategic initiatives get crowded out when the same people are responsible for both BAU and new projects without clear boundaries. To avoid this, define roles that create space for strategic focus.
Ask:
Are roles clearly defined so strategic work isn’t constantly competing with BAU?
Are we expecting the same people to manage day-to-day operations and lead strategic initiatives?
Action:
Assign dedicated owners for strategic initiatives.
Backfill operational roles when needed to prevent bottlenecks and burnout.
Make it crystal clear who’s doing what—so nothing falls through the cracks.
Make Intentional Trade-offs
You can’t pile new work on top of existing responsibilities without consequences. For every new initiative, identify what can be paused, scaled back, or delegated.
Ask:
What BAU activities could we deprioritize or eliminate without jeopardizing the business?
If we weren’t already doing this task, would we start it today?
Action:
Use the Stop-Doing List to identify activities that no longer serve a strategic purpose.
Apply zero-based thinking to reassess current commitments, focusing only on what truly adds value.
Communicate trade-offs clearly so teams understand what’s changing and why.
Protect Time for Strategic Work
Strategic priorities need dedicated time—not leftover scraps after BAU tasks are done.
Ask:
Are we setting aside protected time for strategic initiatives, or do they constantly get bumped by urgent tasks?
Are key decision-makers available when strategic projects need input?
Action:
Block time on calendars specifically for strategic work, treating it with the same importance as critical BAU meetings.
Establish “no-meeting” windows or focus blocks to safeguard deep work time.
Regularly time allocated to the strategy to ensure work isn’t consistently deprioritized.
Create Capacity Through Reduction
Apply the principles from Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to BAU processes. Often, it’s not about needing more resources—it’s about using existing ones more effectively.
Ask:
Are there redundant processes, reports, or meetings we could streamline?
Where are we duplicating efforts across teams or functions?
What activities deliver diminishing returns?
Action:
Audit recurring activities to identify inefficiencies, then eliminate or consolidate wherever possible.
Simplify workflows, automate routine tasks, and delegate non-essential work.
Empower teams to identify and cut unnecessary tasks—this builds ownership and surfaces hidden inefficiencies.
Align Short-Term and Long-Term Priorities
Ensure that BAU efforts support, rather than compete with, strategic goals. The day-to-day shouldn’t just maintain the status quo—it should actively contribute to long-term objectives.
Ask:
How does today’s work contribute to our long-term strategy?
Are we making decisions that solve immediate problems at the expense of future growth?
Action:
Regularly review BAU activities to ensure alignment with strategic priorities.
Use frameworks like the Three Chessboards (Tactical, Strategic, Visionary) to maintain focus across time horizons.
Integrate strategic KPIs into operational reviews to keep long-term goals front and center.
Communicate the ‘Why’ Behind Priorities
People are more willing to shift focus when they understand the rationale. Without context, deprioritizing BAU tasks can feel arbitrary or demotivating.
Ask:
Have we clearly communicated why certain BAU tasks are being deprioritized in favor of strategic work?
Do teams understand how their day-to-day work connects to the bigger picture?
Action:
Frame changes within the context of the broader strategy, emphasizing long-term benefits and the purpose behind the shift.
Share success stories where strategic focus has led to meaningful outcomes.
Reinforce the message regularly—clarity fades over time without consistent communication.
Defeating the Curse of BAU
If we want to implement new strategies successfully, we can’t just layer them on top of the current business and hope for the best. The tension between running the business and changing the business must be managed intentionally and with care.
BAU isn’t the enemy of strategy. It’s the foundation that supports it. When we manage BAU effectively—through clear roles, intentional trade-offs, protected time, and transparent communication—we create the stability needed to focus on transformative initiatives.
The goal isn’t to keep the plane in the air while frantically bolting on new wings. It’s to fly with purpose, knowing exactly which parts to adjust, which to streamline, and when to land long enough to build something better. That’s how we move from simply keeping the lights on to building a future where the lights shine even brighter.
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This post is an excerpt from my upcoming book, a practical handbook for executing strategy from an operator’s point of view. Drawing on decades of real-world experience, it’s designed to help leaders turn strategy into action through clear, actionable steps. Stay tuned for more insights and updates as we get closer to launch!
