£120,000. A Scottish castle. And a bunch of A,B and C-list celebrities failing spectacularly.
The setup of Celebrity Traitors sounds like pure entertainment. But what I saw was something else: a perfect simulation of why 90% of strategies fail—not from lack of goals, but from cultural rot.
Despite having Olympic icons (Tom Daley), national treasures (Stephen Fry), and high EQ all-stars, the "Faithfuls" consistently voted out their sharpest minds… and left the real Traitors untouched until it was almost too late.
Seen it before? I have. In boardrooms. In strategy reviews. In OKR cycles that look good on paper but die in the culture.
The OKR Illusion
Clear objectives?
Simple key results?
So why didn't we win?
Why? Because execution doesn’t just test your strategy—it exposes your culture.
The Traitors revealed many of the patterns I see when OKRs fail:
- Truth-tellers get iced out.
- Confident nonsense wins over thoughtful dissent.
- People optimise for comfort, not clarity.
Let’s break down what actually killed performance.
5 Cultural Dysfunctions That Killed Strategy (On TV and In Real Life)
- No Psychological Safety.
Stephen Fry asked one too many smart questions—and got booted. Sound familiar? In your org, who stops speaking up when the room gets tense?
If your team can't say “I might be wrong,” you're not learning. You're posturing. - Groupthink Over Evidence
Decisions based on vibes, not facts. Like when organisations chase the HIPPO’s opinion instead of testing assumptions.
Strategic Intelligence = separating observation from interpretation. Many teams can’t. - Weaponised Emotional Intelligence
Alan Carr charmed his way to safety. Teams do this too—mistaking likeability for trustworthiness.
Charisma without accountability is a leadership liability. - Ignored Quiet Voices
The most insightful Faithfuls were overlooked. In your business, the analyst with the sharpest insight might never get heard.
If your OKRs aren’t outcome-led and inclusive, they’ll reinforce existing power dynamics. - Transparency Only for the Traitors
Ironically, the villains collaborated better than the heroes. The Traitors shared info and aligned strategy. The Faithfuls fumbled alone. They had a common goal and a safe space to discuss their strategy.
Opacity breeds paranoia. Transparency is the trust tax you pay upfront.
What Changed Everything? Habits. Not Heroes.
The Faithfuls only started winning when they changed how they worked:
- Asked better questions
- Shared dissenting views
- Tracked behaviour, not just vibes
Not rocket science. Just rhythm, reflection, and repetition—what I call Strategic Intelligence in practice.
Your Monday Morning Check-In Checklist.
- Before you run another OKR session, ask:
- Can your team disagree productively?
- Are decisions evidence-led or influence-led?
- Do your quietest people feel heard?
- Are you prioritising learning over performing?
If not? You’re at risk of playing Traitors at work. And you won’t like the ending.
Final Word (That Stephen Fry Would’ve Nailed)
The Traitors isn't just a game. It’s a cultural audit under pressure. And it reminds us of the harshest truth in strategic execution:
Frameworks don’t create results. Culture does.
Your OKRs aren’t failing because they’re poorly written. They are failing because your team can’t say the hard thing, trust the quiet voice, or shift course when the evidence demands it.
You have to Earn the right to lead.
Then—and only then—do the frameworks start working for you.