To most folks, a strategy is a pie in the sky document that someone with no accountabilities created that gets a procedural tick and is then filed away (for 6 months, a year or forever).

But is it really? Try this on for size. Your strategy is what you actually do!  It’s the sum total of the output of the company, how you touch your customers, staff and shareholders. To that end its very very real.

Think about that for a minute. For those of you who work for a company that has a written strategy, does what you are actually doing in the market reflect that document? I’ll go out on a limb and say that for the majority of you, it won’t even be close. Is that good or bad? Is the written strategy incorrect or are you just not executing on it? By not executing on it what long term damage are you doing? Do you even think beyond next quarter? Are you paid to do so?

There are some major incongruities appearing everywhere.  Some examples

“we’re about putting customers first” and then you offshore your channels (cost reduction strategy), invest in core infrastructure as opposed to the contact centre (what the?)

“we will build new wave revenues” but then under fund it capital wise (so its at best a marketing game), fail to address remuneration so that old wave revenues block its growth (in which you’re your strategy is protecting legacy revenues) or you look to outsource the deliver to a 3^rd party (hardly building)

“We will grow but enter xyz market” then fail to buy or build a business in that market

You get the idea.

So take a bit of time to think this through, what is your strategy based on the actions that your organisation are actually engaged in. Then think about whether or not that is actually the best thing to be doing.

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