Strategy says what an organisation intends to achieve. The operating model says how it is set up to achieve it. It maps the capabilities the business needs, the processes that run them, and the structure that holds them together.
When strategy shifts, the operating model must follow. A new market position or business model that is not reflected in the operating model stays a plan on paper. This is why operating-model redesign sits at the centre of most transformations.
A clear operating model makes the link between intent and execution explicit. It shows where strategy becomes real work.