In Strategies versus Practice, Joe Newbery examines one of the most common issues identified in RTO audits, the gap between what an organisation’s policies say and what actually happens in day to day operations. With regulators increasingly testing alignment between documented strategies and real evidence, even well-written systems can unravel quickly if practice does not match intent. This article explains why the focus has shifted, how auditors identify inconsistencies, and what strong operational control looks like in practice. If you want to reduce audit risk, strengthen internal confidence, and ensure your systems genuinely reflect what you do, this article is essential reading.