Strategy; Its a Mystery

Just look at the many job descriptions you see in large organisations – isn’t it surprising how many contain the words “strategy” and “strategic”? Why does this happen?

Somehow the word “strategy” has taken on a meaning of self-importance. It implies gravitas. And the output from all these strategists does indeed involve the production of lots of strategies – marketing strategy, HR strategy, compensation strategy, reward strategy, pen utilisation strategy and lunch component prioritisation strategy, to name but a few.

What is going on?

Over-use of the word “strategy” is diluting its real meaning. Ask most employees what their business’s strategy is, and they probably can’t tell you. This dilution and lack of awareness has a detrimental impact on what the business is there to achieve – creation of shareholder value.

What does “strategy” actually mean?

The word is derived from the Greek strategia, which means generalship, and in particular the art of directing military movements. This strategy determines the broad thrust – how the war is to be won. Activities to support strategy are called tactics – from the Greek taktika – which means the art of manoeuvring military forces.

There is a very clear difference between a strategy – providing direction – and tactics – doing something.

So why does this distinction matter? In the corporate world, organisations need a strategy – one strategy – the business strategy. And they also need to know how to go about achieving this purpose, and how to organise and mobilise the corporate resources to do so.
And if everyone knows what the strategy is, then it will not be misunderstood, and it may lose its mystique.