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Ace profile picture

Ace

CEO

Arsonist
Politicker
Valued Contributor
+7

Strategy vs Plan

Businesses are dynamic. I'm of the opinion that one should not plan, but strategize. Meaning, know where you want to go but don't hard code the plan. Be flexible with your path there. Strategize and move. Plans get get too rusty.

Would you rather strategize flexibly or stick to a plan?

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Smithy
Politicker
2
Director of Sales
You need both and they are quite different.  

a strategy is about how you’re going to market and the plan is about how you want to execute the strategy. 

the plan can be changed, modified and re-evaluated frequently, but you don’t want to be changing your strategy all the time or you will seem like you don’t know what you’re doing. 

a good strategy example

A good strategy has a colonel - 

diagnosis - an understanding of the situation 
 
A guiding policy - specify the approach to the problems called out in the diagnosis. Marking the way forward but not defining the details of the trip. 

Coherent action - feasible, tangible policies, resource commitments and actions designed to carry out the guiding policy. 

It’s problem solving, not goal setting
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
This is gold. Thank you. I did mix up the 2 but you provided a lot more clarity.
Smithy
Politicker
1
Director of Sales
No worries! Glad it was useful.

A lot of people confuse them or have crossed wires on the difference between the two.

Same with Strategy v Tactics too.

A good book on this that isn't purely business focussed is 'Winners' by Alastair Campbell.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Added to my book list! Amazing. Thank you
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
You need a plan - a foundation- first so you can see the big picture. Then you form the strategy and execute the plan.

And I love it when a plan comes together 😎
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
It surely is a great feeling!
SADNES5
Politicker
1
down voters are marketing spies
Planning is essential. Plans are useless. 
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
Very well said!
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
You're welcome.
stanrym
Valued Contributor
0
CEO
both are imporatnt. I think you need to test things and cut the ones that don't meet your standards.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Agreed. So far that's how I do things but sometimes we are forced to hard plan

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