Strategies are not plans. They direct plans, make them coherent.
A plan is not the same thing as a strategy. Everyone plans, not everyone has a strategy. Strategies are what gives coherence to your plans.
See:
Avoiding the Planning Trap
To avoid “playing just to play” and actually act according to a strategy:
- Accept angst. You’ll never know for sure a strategy will work
- Lay out the logic. Then tweak as necessary.
- Write a Strategy Document
Example of a Strategy
- Southwest Airlines decided they would get more customers by being the cheapest airline by: minimizing plane-on-ground time, using a point-to-point model, not offering in-flight meals & specializing in short-to-medium flights, not book though travel agents, and only buying one type of plane
- Where we’re playing: short-haul airline travel
- How we’re choosing to win: minimize costs to consumer
- The capabilities we need: rapid plane turnover, direct-to-consumer ticketing