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The gap between plan & reality.
Our blog, Between the Lines, examines the space between what organizations decide and what actually happens. Stay tuned for research, case studies, and points of view on execution, management, and the future of how work gets done.
On Uncanny Valley and AI Capabilities
In January 2026, an essay called Something Big Is Happening went viral. Written by AI founder and investor Matt Shumer, it spread through LinkedIn, got reprinted by Fortune, and was called a must-read by Inc. Millions of people read it as a wake-up call. The formula was familiar: reluctant insider, escalating urgency, COVID comparison, call to follow the author on X.
Sami Niemelä 
Managing Cross-Functional Dependencies: Why It’s So Hard and What Teams Can Do
Research shows that poor communication, unclear ownership, and hidden dependencies create friction that teams only notice when it’s already too late. This article looks at why managing cross-functional dependencies is so difficult, and what teams can do to reduce confusion, surface risks earlier, and stay aligned as work gets more complex.
Kristian Luoma 
The great unbundling of creativity
In this recap from the Elisa x Miro AI Collaboration panel Sami discusses how AI marks a turning point for design professionals, shifting the discipline from producing discrete artifacts toward shaping context—intent, flows, and underlying ideas. As a result, meaningful design becomes inherently strategic, centered on purpose and sound business decisions rather than outputs like wireframes.
Sami Niemelä 
When Technology Stops Being Just a Tool
Most teams already use plenty of technology. Still, updates get missed, decisions get lost and people work from different versions of the truth. This article looks at why that happens and why treating technology as part of how work happens, not just a tool, makes such a big difference.
Kristian Luoma 
AI Makes Good Management More Important
Recent research from Harvard and Stanford points to the same conclusion from different angles - AI works best when it supports human judgment, not when it tries to replace it. And for that to happen, organizations need better ways to connect decisions, ownership, and day-to-day work.
Kristian Luoma 
AI Isn’t the Summit, Human Strengths Are
In “Climbing the High Summits: Why Every Leader Must Master Human Skills to Get the Most Out of AI,” Harvard Business research shows that technology is like expedition gear, useful, powerful, and essential, but it’s not the guide. The guide is human skill: the ability to read context, adjust course, make judgment calls, and bring people together toward a shared path forward.
Kristian Luoma 
Start the New Year by Closing the Strategy-Execution Gap
As a new year begins, many organizations refresh their strategies and set ambitious goals. Yet even strong plans often fail to deliver results. Drawing on insights from McKinsey, this article explores why the gap between strategy and execution persists, and why starting the year with better alignment, accountability, and execution discipline matters more than ever.
Kristian Luoma 
A Fresh Start for Strategy Execution in the New Year
As the year comes to a close, leadership teams review results and prepare ambitious plans for the year ahead. Yet even with strong strategies, execution often falls short. Research from firms like McKinsey & Company shows the challenge isn’t strategy itself, but how decisions are translated into coordinated action.
Kristian Luoma 
If Everyone Is Busy, Why Does Execution Still Slip?
Modern organizations aren’t slow because people lack effort, but because critical signals are scattered across tools, meetings, and decks, making execution noisy and reactive. By connecting work end-to-end into one living system, leaders can design calm into the week and turn constant activity into real, coordinated progress.
Kristian Luoma 
How AI-Powered Workflows Become a Competitive Advantage
McKinsey recently argued that the real promise of AI isn’t in isolated use cases, but in redesigning entire workflows around AI, from the first trigger to the final outcome. In other words: the race isn’t “who has the best model,” it’s who can rewire how work flows using AI, and make that scale.
Kristian Luoma 
Stop Decision Drift Before It Starts
Decisions are the lifeblood of organizations. Yet in many companies, the decision-making process is the quiet leak beneath the surface. Drift happens when choice is delayed, responsibility diffused, and follow-up becomes optional. McKinsey found that 80% of organizations struggle with decision making—and that the traditional RACI model often makes things worse.McKinsey & Company
Kristian Luoma 
Benedict Evans’ 2025 AI Deck — What It Actually Means for Enterprises
Benedict Evans, former Andreessen Horowitz partner and now an independent analyst, has spent 20 years studying how tech platforms become businesses. His 2025 AI deck isn’t about model benchmarks but about workflows, margins, and where incumbents slip. The takeaway: LLMs aren’t “another app” but a way to remove steps across existing systems.
Kristian Luoma How Learning Velocity Becomes a Competitive Advantage
Many companies talk about learning fast — but few actually do it. Harvard notes a growing gap between activity and impact, and says real advantage now comes from “speed to skill.”
Kristian Luoma 
McKinsey Just Dropped Their 2025 AI Report — Here’s What It Really Means
AI is everywhere — 88% of companies now use it in at least one business function.But here’s the catch: 67% are still stuck in pilot mode. McKinsey calls out a widening gap between AI activity and AI impact.
Kristian Luoma 
Will AI Make the Integration Management Office Obsolete?
AI won’t kill the Integration Management Office—it’ll finally make it strategic. Traditional PMI drowns in manual check-ins, static decks, and “green box” theater, which erodes situational awareness and slows decisions. That means tighter loops, clearer ownership, and board-ready reporting as a by-product—not more meetings.
Kristian Luoma 
PMI with Intelligent Management System: Win the First 100 Days
Post-merger integration (PMI) fails less from bad strategy and more from lost situational awareness and slow decisions. Intelligent Management System is a manager-first “GPS” loop—Goals → Problems → Solutions—that runs in meetings/chat, turning conversations into tasks, risks, decisions, and owner-tracked logs.
Kristian Luoma 
Is Your Business Strategy Too Rigid?
Most strategies break under pressure because they’re built to predict, not adapt. This post introduces Adaptive Strategies: a modern approach to business strategy that helps organizations stay aligned, responsive, and resilient in a world of constant change.
Kristian Luoma 
Why Your Strategy Needs a Fresh Perspective — And How AI Fits In (Part 1)
Static strategies can’t keep up with today’s pace of change — and most organizations feel the pain through misalignment and stalled initiatives. This post explores the root cause: the Strategy–Market Gap, and introduces GPS, a new, AI-friendly approach to strategy that helps companies adapt faster and execute with greater precision.
Kristian Luoma 
Why Your Strategy Needs a Fresh Perspective — And How AI Fits In (Part 2)
Part 2 dives into how the GPS (Goals–Problems–Solutions) framework works in practice — and why it’s built to keep strategy adaptive, actionable, and AI-ready. Learn how to apply GPS to prioritize what matters, align teams at every level, and turn obstacles into catalysts for execution — all while keeping humans and AI on the same strategic page.
Kristian Luoma 
Will AI Make the PMO Obsolete?
AI won’t replace the PMO but it will force it to evolve. In this post, co-founder Kristian Luoma explains why situational awareness, not reporting, is the real strategic advantage. Learn how AI-powered tools like Pulse and the GPS framework can help transformation leaders move from inertia to intelligent execution.
Kristian Luoma 
Executive Guide to Strategic Alignment: How to Keep Strategy and Execution Moving as One
Most strategies fail in execution — and misalignment is often to blame. This guide explores what strategic alignment really means, why it’s critical in a fast-changing world, and how modern organizations use tools like the GPS framework to stay focused, coordinated, and adaptive at every level.
Kristian Luoma 
Strategic Portfolio Management: Turning Resources into Results
Most companies set bold strategies but fail to align execution with investment. Without strategic portfolio management, resources are wasted, and priorities drift. By adopting real-time visibility, dynamic resource allocation, and AI-powered decision-making, organizations can maximize ROI and ensure every initiative drives impact.
Kristian Luoma 
Strategy Implementation: A C-level guide to execution
Most strategies fail not because they’re flawed, but because they aren’t implemented effectively. This guide explores why execution breaks down, what high-performing organizations do differently, and how Adaptive Strategies and the Intelligent Operating Model are redefining implementation.
Kristian Luoma 
The Executive Guide to Strategy Planning: Aligning Execution with Business Goals
Static planning doesn’t cut it anymore. This guide breaks down how strategy planning — distinct from traditional strategic planning — helps leaders adapt in real time, align execution with shifting priorities, and drive measurable business outcomes.
Kristian Luoma 
Alignment: The Engine of High-Performance Execution
Misalignment is the silent killer of execution. Organizations that treat strategy as a static plan fall behind, while those that enable continuous alignment — through real-time visibility, cross-functional collaboration, and adaptive planning — outperform the competition.
Kristian Luoma 
Situational Awareness: The Missing Link in Strategy Execution
Strategy execution fails when companies operate in the dark. Situational awareness — continuously monitoring internal progress and external shifts — enables organizations to adapt in real time. By moving from static planning to dynamic execution, businesses can avoid wasted resources and stay ahead.
Kristian Luoma 
The Power of Hybrid AI: Why One Technology Isn’t Enough
AI isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. True innovation comes from combining technologies. Large Language Models, knowledge graphs, and symbolic AI each have strengths and weaknesses. A hybrid approach maximizes accuracy, reasoning, and adaptability. Learn why enterprises should embrace AI diversity to stay ahead.
Katariina Kari 
The Role of Digital Twins in Modern Strategy Execution
Digital twins are transforming strategy execution by providing real-time, interactive models that help businesses stay aligned and adaptable. By simulating execution before implementation, companies can reduce misalignment, optimize resources, and react faster to market changes. In Parallel’s Parallel Twin ensures that strategy and execution move together, bridging the execution gap.
Kristian Luoma 
The Strategy-Market Gap
Many strategies fail not in execution, but because they're out of sync with the market. Discover how to spot and close the strategy-market gap, before it costs you growth.
Kristian Luoma 
Why Strategies Fail: Closing the Strategy-Market Gap
Many strategies fail not in execution, but because they’re out of sync with the market. Discover how to spot and close the strategy-market gap — before it costs you growth.
Kristian Luoma 
The Real Cost of Strategic Drift and How to Prevent It
Strategic drift happens quietly — until growth slows, teams lose focus, and plans fall apart. Learn how to spot it early and take action to stay aligned.
Kristian Luoma 
A Night to Remember
In November 2024, we celebrated the launch of In Parallel at Slush—an unforgettable night of bold ideas, immersive art, and great people. From a thought-provoking panel on strategy execution to electrifying performances, the evening marked the first of many milestones. We’re grateful for our team, partners, and investors who made it possible. This is just the beginning.
Kristian Luoma 
The Execution Trap
Execution failure isn’t about effort, it’s about misalignment. Most strategies fail not because teams aren’t working hard, but because execution is disconnected from strategy. Companies trapped in static plans waste effort chasing outdated goals. To succeed, organizations must embrace Adaptive Strategies, real-time feedback loops, and dynamic execution models that evolve with changing conditions.
Kristian Luoma 
The Hidden Cost of Strategy Failure
Strategy failure isn’t about bad ideas, it’s about poor execution. Companies lose billions because strategy and execution drift apart. The strategy-market gap keeps businesses reactive, while rigid planning models fail to adapt. Adaptive Strategies close this gap by ensuring continuous alignment, breaking silos, and leveraging real-time data. Organizations that execute intelligently lead the pack.
Kristian Luoma 
The Illusion of Execution
Many strategies never make it past the whiteboard — not due to lack of effort, but because execution is an afterthought. The strategy-market gap keeps organizations stuck in outdated plans while execution teams lack real-time alignment. To break the illusion of execution, companies must treat strategy as a living system, integrate real-time feedback, and embed execution into daily operations.
Kristian Luoma 
Why Traditional Consulting Can’t Solve the Execution Gap
Traditional consulting firms sell strategies, but execution gaps persist because static plans can’t keep up with real-world change. The strategy-market gap leaves businesses reactive, while consultants reinforce dependency instead of enabling adaptability. AI-driven models now outperform traditional consulting by ensuring continuous alignment between strategy and execution — without the costly delays.
Kristian Luoma 
Beyond OKRs
OKRs help track goals, but they don’t ensure execution success. Most fail because they assume stability, lack real-time course correction, and focus on outcomes without guiding execution. Organizations need more than static goal-setting — they need adaptive execution models that continuously align strategy with reality. Moving beyond OKRs means ensuring goals translate into real-world impact.
Kristian Luoma Stay in the loop
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