The operating model is the organizational expression of a company's strategy. Activation is the bridge from design to performance. Research reveals five activators for accelerating business results in the global operating model. The activators are sorted against three outcomes such as the right connections, the right conversations and the right know‐how. The five activators work in concert to ensure that structure, processes, measures of success and behaviors are all aligned and reinforcing. A business handshake is an integrated planning process that connects strategic plans with operating targets and budgeting. A company should establish one anchor, operating‐unit layer of organization and a single value‐adding layer for consolidating most infrastructures. Decision‐making is the essence of management and key for activating the global operating model is to allocate power for purpose. Matrix‐ready leaders are selected and developed for learning agility, influence skills and ability to engage in the tensions among naturally competing priorities.