Mary Axelsen

Misalignment tax is the hidden cost organizations pay when strategy, structure, and people are not working together. Hero tax is the additional cost carried by the people who repeatedly step in to keep the business functioning anyway. Together, they create a compound burden that slows execution, burns out talent, and weakens client experience.

The turn of a fiscal year often comes with organizational, talent, and performance reviews. Leadership teams revisit strategy, assess whether they have the capabilities to execute it, identify high‑potential leaders for succession plans, and promote high‑performing employees. In the middle of these conversations, it’s easy to become overly focused on individuals and overlook whether the underlying structure is actually fit for purpose.

The best strategies aren’t perfect. The best leaders don’t ask for perfection—they design for experimentation. The first time I met William E. Bagley, I was working in corporate, partnering with him to strengthen our supply chain function and outsource non-core work. At an offsite, I decided to try something new—a different way to align our supply chain leadership team—and I felt vulnerable and uncertain as I walked into the room.