Aligning Strategy and Execution: The Role of Senior Leaders in Project-Driven Organizations

Strategic alignment remains a persistent challenge in project‑driven organizations, where shifting priorities and distributed execution often create gaps between strategic intent and project‑level action. This study examined how Senior Leadership Communication Practices influence Strategy–Execution Alignment and tested whether Organizational Culture for Alignment and Change Management Readiness mediate that relationship. A quantitative, cross‑sectional survey was administered to 54 senior leaders in project‑driven environments. All constructs demonstrated strong reliability, and correlation & regression analyses confirmed significant positive relationships among leadership communication, cultural alignment, readiness, and strategic alignment. Leadership communication significantly predicted culture (R² = .444), readiness (R² = .431), and alignment (R² = .479). Culture (R² = .586) and readiness (R² = .641) were also strong predictors of alignment, with readiness emerging as the strongest single predictor. Mediation analyses indicated partial mediation for both Organizational Culture for Alignment and Change Management Readiness, with combined models explaining approximately 64% of the variance in alignment. These results show that leadership communication shapes alignment directly and indirectly by influencing the cultural norms and readiness conditions that guide execution behavior. The findings highlight that strategic alignment is not achieved through structure alone but through leaders who communicate priorities clearly, reinforce shared values, and cultivate environments where individuals feel prepared and supported during change. Although the modest sample limits generalizability, the study provides a strong empirical foundation for future research and actionable guidance for leaders seeking to strengthen alignment in project‑driven organizations.