As a Leader Do You Have a Strategy?

As a Leader do you have a strategy?

Strategy is connecting specific actions for an outcome

In the military, we discuss strategy as the highest-level plan connecting ends, ways, and means. On the national or regional level, we talk about applying diplomatic, informational, military, and economic power to attain an aim or set of objectives. We then discuss campaigns or the operational level, connecting specific actions or battles to achieve intermediate goals. The intermediate objectives of a campaign are battles or other tactical actions. So, we must resource and maneuver forces, employ power, and fight to attain operational and strategic objectives.

Strategy is wisdom

We are starting the third quarter in business and should review our performance and strategy. Strategy is the overarching wisdom that coordinates all plans to reach the highest goals effectively. The quarterly or intermediate objectives may be arranged as a campaign, and hundreds of tactical actions may be taken daily. The strategy connects vision, values, mission, sales, marketing, operations, finances, people, and culture to the goals that create the desired result.

There are Four Key Questions to form a Strategy:

1. What is our vision and end state, and on what goals will we measure our progress? If we have a vision, mission, purpose, and specific and measurable goals, we can make supporting plans to get where we want to go. Having done our AAR, we have the lessons and data to identify areas we need to refine.
2. What is our chosen field of battle?  What markets and areas will we operate in, and what will we avoid?  
3. What is our bid for success on that field, and how will we maneuver to defeat our competition? What services or goods will we provide, and how will we do it to win?
4. What systems and capabilities do we need to win? What processes, policies, technologies, and techniques are necessary for the chosen field, and how we've decided to compete?

This process is iterative, so rough it out first and ensure each step's results are congruent with the previous.

Leaders have personal strategic plans to guide their lives

We should also create a personal strategic plan. Unlike businesses, we live in phases rather than fiscal or calendar years. In each phase, we look differently at the seven general categories of life: spiritual, family and relationships, physical and health, money and investment, work and career, social and community, and personal growth. We should have goals within each of these categories throughout our lives. Those goals should align with our values, vision, mission, and purpose, which are the strategy. The goals make that strategy a plan or set of plans. When prioritized and integrated, you have phased campaigns to accomplish your strategy.

This week, look at your vision and current situation and ask the most strategic question: What do we have to do to achieve our vision? Start!

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