I once attended a meeting that was labeled “Quarter 2 Strategy Meeting”. But after 2 hours, the main content was: should the product packaging color be changed, should we recruit more staff, should we make a fanpage or Tiktok more effective?
All of these are important, but they are not strategies. So who should discuss strategy and what is the correct understanding of strategy?
And if a business cannot distinguish this, not only will you lose your direction but you will also tire the whole organization because you think you are doing something “macro”.
Without a strategy, businesses drift with the market
Strategy is not for… beauty. It is a guideline for you to:
- Know where you are, where you want to go – and choose the most appropriate path.
- Focus your resources on the right things – rather than spreading yourself thin and burning money.
- Make quick and consistent decisions – especially in a crisis.
A business without a clear strategy is like a rudderless boat: sometimes it drifts with market trends, sometimes it struggles to keep up with competitors, and sometimes it returns to the old model because it “feels safer”.
The biggest loss is not losing money – but losing internal trust. Good people will leave when they see that the company has no consistent direction.
Overuse of the word “strategy” – a sign of ignorance and role confusion
In many SMEs, I observe a very common phenomenon: everything is called strategy.
- “Livestream sales strategy”
- “Strategy to increase Tiktok interaction”
- “Strategy to change employee uniforms”
These are essentially tactics, plans, or operations. Using the word “strategy” loosely leads to:
- Mid-level staff think they are doing big things, leading to a lack of coordination and overall direction.
- Leaders are confused when allocating resources, because they do not know what the real focus is.
- Each department has its own “strategy” – but no one is responsible for connecting the whole.
Who should talk about strategy?
Strategy is not something that everyone should “talk about for fun”.
It should be led by:
- Business owner (who understands the vision, core competencies and risk tolerance).
- Strategy board / advisory team / independent experts, if any – to provide data, market analysis, opportunity identification and risk warning..
Not the Marketing Director, not the Operations Manager, and certainly not the external Agency that has the authority to decide strategy. They can contribute expertise, but they cannot guide your business for you.
Strategy is about choosing and giving up. There is no “one-size-fits-all strategy.”
The most important thing about strategy is: choose a path that fits your core competencies and have the courage to give up the rest.
For example:
- If you choose the “urban middle class customer” strategy, then don’t spread your products to the countryside or “cheap for everyone”.
- If you choose the “high-end handmade products” strategy, then don’t run flash sale ads that are as cheap as the market.
Strategy is about consistency in choice and consistency in execution. There is no strategy that can “cover all audiences, all markets, all channels” and still be effective.
You – the business owner – are ultimately responsible for your strategy
I tell all my partners straight out:
I can analyze, criticize, and suggest – but the final decision maker is always you.
- If the business succeeds – it is the result of the whole team, including the right choice of the leader.
- If it fails – it cannot be blamed on “wrong advice” or “the team did not do it right”.
- Because the one who chooses the path, the one who signs off on the budget, the one who makes the final decision – is you.
And I believe: a mature business owner is someone who is willing to take responsibility, not look for reasons to blame.
Let’s be clear – strategy is not about “sounding good”
- Strategy is not fancy language.
- It is not pretty slides.
- It is not “sitting in a meeting at the end of the week to get direction”.
Strategy is:
- A data-driven and courageous choice,
- A clear statement of how you will win in the marketplace,
- And a long-term commitment of resources, people, and action.
Don’t overuse the word “strategy” – understand it, and do it right according to the position, role and responsibility of a leader.
And if necessary, have a good expert by your side to analyze – criticize – warn – enlighten.
But remember: making decisions and taking responsibility – is something that cannot be outsourced.
