What most people get wrong about strategy vs tactics

How many times have we heard someone say “You/We need to be more strategic” and you know if you were to ask them what strategy means they wouldn’t be able to give you a solid answer.
 
And that’s exactly the problem. People throw around buzzwords like “strategy” and “tactics” without really understanding what they mean and the difference between the two.
 
Let’s fix this.
 
First of all, it makes no sense to talk about strategy when you don’t have a clear longer-term goal or objective you’re trying to achieve.
 
Once have your goal/objective in mind with a solid vision of what your desired future state looks like, strategy is about taking the big-picture view or what I call the 30,000 foot view.
 
Here you’re basically defining a vision for the future and identifying the key areas of focus that will drive you/your business forward to achieve your goal.
 
Your strategy should typically have these types of characteristics:
 
·      Long-term Focus: Strategies are designed with a long-term perspective, often spanning several years.
·      Vision and Goal Alignment:  They align with you/your company's mission and vision, providing a roadmap to achieve overarching goals.
·  Resource Allocation: Strategy involves making decisions on where to allocate your time/effort/people/money for maximum impact.
·     Competitive Advantage: It aims to create a unique position in the market that differentiates you/your company from competitors.
 
Then comes tactics – now we’re at the ground level and focusing on the day-to-day actions/activities that are in align with our strategy and will help us reach our goal.
 
They are the short-term moves that translate the strategic vision into reality. Tactics are more flexible and adaptive, designed to respond to immediate challenges and opportunities within the framework of the overall strategy.
 
Your tactics should typically have these types of characteristics:

• Short-term Focus: Tactics are concerned with immediate actions and results.
• Implementation: They involve the day-to-day activities required to execute the strategy.
• Adaptability: Tactics can be quickly adjusted to respond to changing circumstances.
• Specificity: They are detailed and specific, outlining who will do what and by when.

If you choose and act on the right tactics, they will support your strategy and help you ultimately reach your goal.

That’s the right way to think about strategy and tactics.

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