The Problem

Without quarterly strategic recalibration:

• Teams execute monthly goals that no longer align with market reality
• Strategic shifts happen too slowly (waiting until annual planning)
• Big goals set in January become irrelevant by June, but no one adjusts course
• Executives operate on assumptions rather than validated quarterly data
• Opportunities get missed because "that's not what we decided in our annual plan"

The result: Rigid annual plans that can't adapt to changing conditions, and teams executing toward outdated objectives.

The Principle

QSR sets top-down strategic direction. MGR translates it into bottom-up execution.

This is the strategic counterbalance to monthly operational reviews:

• MGR (Monthly): Bottom-up intelligence and tactical execution
• QSR (Quarterly): Top-down strategic direction informed by that intelligence

QSR is where you:

• Verify big goals are still the right goals
• Process three months of operational intelligence from MGRs
• Set strategic direction for the next quarter
• Allow blue-sky thinking before locking into execution mode
• Make resource allocation decisions

This is conceptual before tactical. "What if?" before "Do this."