Grove’s point is that strategy becomes meaningful only when it changes how people use their time. Senior declarations and formal plans may establish a new direction, but they have limited effect if managers continue to devote their working days to the same meetings, tasks and priorities as before. A calendar therefore provides a practical record of what an organisation is actually treating as important.

The quote links strategic change with everyday execution. If a new objective matters, managers need to reserve time for the decisions, discussions and work required to advance it, while reducing attention given to activities that support older priorities. This makes time allocation a form of resource allocation. Grove’s broader argument is that strategic change is not confined to executive decisions; it must appear in routine behaviour. Reviewing how time is spent can therefore reveal whether stated priorities are being translated into sustained organisational action.