Strengthening Strategy Execution Through Accountability

The Engagement

In April 2025, Barnard Inc. partnered with UNLOK to support a select group of directors and team leaders as part of a pilot designed to enhance their practice development (PD) execution. This initiative emerged from leadership’s desire to strengthen accountability and create momentum behind the firm’s existing marketing and growth strategy.

The Challenge

While the firm had previously articulated departmental marketing plans and strategic goals, many professionals remained immersed in operational demands, limiting their ability to translate those plans into focused action. Strategic priorities were acknowledged, but implementation varied between teams. What was missing wasn’t direction, but rather a mechanism to support daily and weekly execution, alongside a structure for individual accountability.

The Solution

UNLOK introduced its Account-a-Trak system - an accountability-focused execution system combining weekly and monthly dashboards, personalised WhatsApp nudges, and micro-coaching sessions to support behaviour change at an individual level. Each participant worked with UNLOK to craft a tailored, AI enhanced one-page PD strategy I under an hour. From there, weekly focus sessions created a rhythm for taking consistent,  strategic action aligned with each team leader’s role, goals, and available non-billable time

The Results

By the end of the two-month pilot, the average execution score across six active participants reached 64%. While this may appear modest in isolation, it represented a marked shift from previously ad hoc or informal execution rhythms. The initiative helped convert strategic intent into visible traction within a short space of time. Several team leaders made visible strides in business development, including new client-facing initiatives, strategic content launches, and renewed network engagement. Perhaps most importantly, key individuals reported mindset shifts around visibility, ownership, and the value of non-billable effort. The firm’s marketing and leadership team also benefited from clearer BD data and increased alignment between strategy and execution at a departmental level.

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