The Execution Edge—the outer circle of the 9EOI framework—is what keeps your strategy upright, visible and actionable across the organization.

You have to use the strategy in moderation, and earnestly, for it to be effective, says Abrahams: "People can smell humblebrags." Here are two ways to practice it at work: 1.

Difficult conversations are easy to avoid, but with preparation, a few key tools, and practice, you can navigate them more effectively.