Why Being Practical and Getting Things Done Matters in Strategy
Strategy often sounds like something cooked up in a boardroom by people who love using words like ‘synergy’ and ‘leveraging’.
But here’s the truth: if your strategy isn’t practical, it’s as useful as a chocolate teapot.
A strategy that works is one that can actually be executed, meaning it needs to fit your resources, the market, and the messy reality of running a business.
Thinking big is great, but unless you’ve got a clear, doable plan to back it up, it’s just wishful thinking. Imagine planning a world tour without checking if you can afford the flights, it’s all fun and games until your credit card screams in protest.
Business Strategy and Brand Strategy: A Match Made in Business Heaven
Your business strategy and brand strategy should be like a well-matched couple—complementary, supportive, and never undermining each other in public.
- The business strategy is the nuts and bolts, the revenue streams, operational efficiencies, and all those spreadsheets that make most people’s eyes glaze over. And remember, it’s what you do with your stakeholders to ensure business success.
- Brand strategy, on the other hand, is the personality, the story, and what makes people actually care about your company. And remember, it’s what you do with your business to ensure stakeholders success.
If your business is a great product but your brand is about as exciting as watching paint dry, you’ll struggle. Likewise, if your brand is dazzling but your business operations are a mess, people will notice—and not in a good way.
Think of it as making a fantastic first impression on a date but then forgetting your wallet. Not ideal.
The Creative Tension Between a Great Idea and Actually Doing It
Let’s be honest: great ideas are thrilling. Who doesn’t love a brainstorming session where you dream up the next big thing? But unless those ideas can be turned into reality, they’re about as helpful as an umbrella in a hurricane.
Creative tension is crucial. It keeps ideas fresh and pushes boundaries, but it needs to be managed. You need the dreamers and the doers to work together, otherwise, you end up with a team full of people who love drawing up big visions but never follow through, or a bunch of pragmatists who squash every bit of innovation before it gets off the ground.
It’s like planning a road trip with one friend who only wants adventure and another who insists on scheduling every minute. The key? A bit of both.
The Dangers of Strategic Posturing
Ah, strategic posturing. Also known as talking a big game with no intention of playing it. It’s when businesses fill their presentations with flashy words and trends but lack any real plan to execute them.
Ever heard a company talk about ‘disrupting the market’ only to do exactly what everyone else is doing? Yep, that’s the one.
Copying strategies without adapting them is another common trap. Just because it worked for Apple doesn’t mean it will work for your independent bakery. You wouldn’t wear someone else’s prescription glasses, so why would you blindly follow their business plan?
And finally, the biggest killer: lack of depth. Strategies that skim the surface without real analysis are bound to fail.
If your plan doesn’t consider risks, market changes, or how you’ll actually pull it off, it’s not a strategy, it’s wishful thinking with a fancy PowerPoint.
Wrapping It Up: Keep It Smart, Keep It Real
A solid strategy isn’t about fancy words or grand visions alone, it’s about execution, balance, and a healthy dose of reality.
Your business and brand strategy should work together, creative tension should push you forward -not into despair-, and above all, avoid the nonsense of strategy theatre.
Get it right, and you’ll be setting your company up for long-term success. Get it wrong, and well… enjoy the PowerPoint presentations.
Say goodbye to empty posturing and copy-paste strategies, discover how creative tension and real execution drive results. Ready to transform your strategy? Let’s talk!
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- Markus Spiske, Pexels
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