This paper, based on a narrative of one of the authors, explores management reality where a chosen strategy developed into a different direction than expected. The authors offer an insight in a manager's daily struggle, where power, gossip and conflict can influence the strategising process. The plans and strategic ambitions chosen at the outset did not seem to work, yet a strategic organisational change was highly necessary due to new governmental regulations. The story follows unpredictable turns and surprises, becoming an example of real political life in organisations. We propose that the kind of leadership practice that takes seriously the unpredictable responsive processes of spontaneously changing circumstances described here can enhance the possibilities of successful outcomes.