STS developed the Five Disciplines as a framework to help leaders define the work they need to do to lead and manage their organizations effectively. While each discipline represents an essential component of effective leadership, we believe that creating a credible strategy stands above the rest. In this article, we explore some of the common challenges leaders face as they seek to create their strategy as well as ways to overcome those hurdles and drive the organization forward. Our hope is that you and/or other leaders in your organization will find value in our perspective and inspiration in our approach to this critical step in successful leadership.