Why Tech Leaders Need Impact Filters Now More Than Ever

Across industries, AI and software initiatives are being abandoned, not because the technology fails, but because leadership doesn’t stay committed to the hard work of aligning data, infrastructure, culture, and ROI expectations. Most projects stall long before engineers encounter true technical barriers.

Founders and tech executives need a simple way to build clarity and commitment before teams start moving. That’s where Dan Sullivan’s Impact Filter™ from Strategic Coach® comes in.

The Leadership Gap Behind Most Failed Projects

Stalled initiatives almost always trace back to unclear direction:

• No shared definition of success
• No compelling reason the work matters
• No picture of the impact of either success or inaction

Without alignment, priorities drift and momentum evaporates. The Impact Filter tool forces leaders to think deliberately before execution begins.

Why Impact Filters Work for Technical Leaders

For founders and tech executives, The Impact Filter offers three key advantages:

1. ‍Clear Prioritization - It reveals which initiatives genuinely move the business forward, and which don’t earn focus.‍
2. Alignment From Day One - Teams start with a shared vision of purpose, outcome, and success criteria. Misunderstandings drop, and progress accelerates.‍
3. Stronger Follow-Through - By spelling out the upside of success and the cost of inaction, leadership creates durable commitment.

How to Fill Out an Impact Filter

The Impact Filter tool is brief, but each field prompts essential reflection:

1. ‍Project: Name the initiative you’re evaluating.‍
2. Purpose: Describe what you want to accomplish, and for whom.‍
3. Importance: Explain the biggest difference this will make.‍
4. Ideal Outcome: Describe what has to be true when the project is finished. What does “complete” look like? This becomes the team’s North Star.‍
5. Best Result (if you take action): Outline the positive impact and benefits.‍
6. Worst Result (if you don’t take action): Clarify what’s at risk: missed opportunities, operational friction, competitive lag.‍
7. Success Criteria: Define the measurable signals that show the project is finished and done well.

Building Strategic Alignment Before Technical Execution

Before we ever discuss architecture, timelines, or costs, we walk our clients through these exact reflections.

We begin every engagement with a Project 5™ meeting where we:

• clarify the purpose behind the initiative
• understand why the project matters now
• define the ideal outcome
• identify the success criteria that will guide design and delivery

This upfront alignment ensures that when we move into user stories, system design, and implementation planning, the work is grounded in what the client truly wants to achieve and not just what’s technically possible.

This practice consistently leads to better decisions, cleaner execution, and projects that actually reach production.

A Small Tool With Outsized Impact

Most tech failures stem from misalignment, not engineering challenges. Strategic Coach’s Impact Filter gives leaders a repeatable way to define intent, secure commitment, and empower teams to deliver results.

If you'd like help applying Impact Filters to your next initiative, contact us.