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Strategic Constraint Map.

Find the single part most holding back the others, so the work fixes the cause rather than a symptom.

The five parts sit in a dependency order. Upstream weakness constrains everything downstream, so it is fixed first. The rule: your binding constraint is the lowest-scoring part that sits highest in this dependency order. If two are tied, the one higher in the order is the constraint.

OrderSub-domainWhy it sits here
1 (most upstream)Purpose and directionThere is nothing to build a strategy, plan, or alignment on without a clear direction.
2Strategy developmentThe choices to reach the direction, built on a destination existing.
3Goals and planningTurns the strategy into concrete goals and a plan, depends on the strategy.
4Alignment and cascadeAligns the organization to the plan, depends on the plan existing.
5Execution and reviewThe sustaining layer that tracks and steers the whole.

Your scores in order

Bring your five levels from the Assessment. Then apply the rule to find the constraint.

Sub-domainYour level (1 to 5)Dependency order
Purpose and direction1
Strategy development2
Goals and planning3
Alignment and cascade4
Execution and review5
Worked example

Purpose and direction at Level 3, strategy at Level 2, goals at Level 2, alignment at Level 1. The lowest score is alignment at Level 1, but strategy and goals at Level 2 sit higher in the order. The binding constraint is strategy development: the highest-in-order part that is still below capable. Fix that first, and the parts below it become workable.

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