Strategic Action Center

Strategy

Webster's Dictionary defines strategy as "the science of planning and directing large scale operations." I think of it more as an art. If strategy was a science we could teach a formula that would lead to good strategy. That said, art and science are often closely linked, and there are rules we follow in developing good strategy.

Wikipedia tells us that the word strategy derives from the Greek word strategos (which derives from two words: "stratos" - army & "ago" - which is ancient Greek for leading/guiding/moving to), which referred to a 'military commander' during the age of Athenian Democracy.

A strategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal, most often "winning" something important. "Strategy is a pattern of activities that seek to achieve the objective of an organization and adapt its scope, resources and operations to environmental changes in the long term."

Developing strategy can be like planning a trip on a road map. Strategy is a plan for how you will get from where you are to where you want to be. Tactics, described in a different section of this website, are the turns you take, the direction you follow, the actions you take to get to where you're going.

Strategy is a pattern of activities- it is not a strategic plan or the objectives of any plan. Strategy is concerned with achieving objectives, and I like to implement strategy via tactics grouped around certain strategic objectives.

Good strategy comes from wide-open thinking and asking a lot of questions. Good strategy comes from anticipating road-blocks and remaining flexible.