In boardrooms and brainstorming sessions, strategy often gets boxed into a predictable process: analyze, plan, execute, repeat. This neat, linear approach promises order and control. But the moment these plans meet reality – markets shift, competitors pivot, customers evolve – that structured strategy can feel like a house of cards.
A single change can bring it all down.
The issue isn’t strategy itself but how we frame it. Most approaches assume that business decisions unfold in a controlled, predictable environment. But we know that’s rarely the case. Real strategy isn’t a fixed staircase; it’s a living, shifting puzzle – a framework that adapts rather than stacks. It embraces complexity, values agility, and navigates ambiguity.
Imagine treating strategy as a dynamic conversation rather than a checklist. Think of it as a process where each decision informs the next – a journey thriving on context, not a fixed path. This mindset shift moves us away from rigid formulas toward an approach that values experimentation, adaptability, and continuous learning.
There’s freedom in letting strategy unfold without forcing it into a linear cascade. Start anywhere – a customer insight, a market trend, an emerging strength. Instead of waiting for the ideal entry point, let whatever insight you have guide your first step. Strategy shouldn’t demand perfection; it should welcome imperfection as part of growth.
This adaptable approach reflects today’s world – where information flows continuously, and decisions respond as much to intuition as to data. Each new insight serves as a clue, reshaping the picture rather than providing a final answer. Strategy, at its best, isn’t about absolute certainty. It’s about connecting and recalibrating in real time, staying aligned with reality instead of outdated assumptions.
Think of it like a puzzle. In a puzzle, there’s no single starting piece; each part you fit reveals something new. Similarly, every choice in strategy brings fresh insights, refocusing not just the next move but the entire picture. This thinking is active, responsive, and collaborative, requiring continuous engagement and realignment. When strategy is treated as a puzzle, it invites unexpected turns and encourages adaptability.
Testing, learning, and adjusting become essential. Real strategy unfolds in real time, evolving as teams interact with the market, customers, and the world around them. Thriving companies don’t wait for perfection; they experiment, take risks, and learn quickly from both successes and setbacks. Strategy becomes a series of small, forward moves rather than a massive blueprint weighed down by the need for certainty.
Does this mean tossing structure aside? Not at all. Structure still has its place, but it must be adaptive – fluid enough to respond to change without collapsing. The goal isn’t a “perfect” plan but a resilient, evolving one that can handle surprises. A strategy that’s less a list, more a way of thinking – a framework that shifts with every insight and every new challenge.
In practice, this means encouraging a culture of curiosity where new ideas are essential inputs, not distractions. It’s about asking questions that bring strategy back to its roots: Who is our customer today? How has their world changed? What strengths do we have now that we didn’t a year ago?
These questions – timely, reflective, open-ended – keep strategy grounded in reality, even as it evolves.
Moving beyond the traditional top-down approach requires a level of humility and flexibility that’s often uncomfortable. Letting go of rigid control and embracing uncertainty feels risky. But here’s the thing: in a fast-moving world, true security lies in adaptability. Companies that stay relevant aren’t those with the best-laid plans; they’re the ones that pivot, learn, and respond. They find stability in flexibility, resilience in openness.
In the end, a strategy’s strength isn’t in how neatly it’s constructed but in how well it can bend and shift without breaking. Strategy isn’t about building a perfect structure. It’s about crafting something resilient enough to endure reality’s twists and turns – a living framework that supports progress over perfection.
So, as you think about the strategy guiding your business, ask yourself: are you building a pyramid or piecing together a puzzle? A rigid plan may look polished, but an adaptable one can weather the real world’s messiness. A checklist may feel satisfying, but real strategy is richer than that. It’s about continuous discovery – a fluid approach that embraces both uncertainty and opportunity, designed not just to survive change but to thrive on it.
Let’s move beyond the blueprint, beyond rigid structures, and see strategy for what it really is: a living process that adapts, learns, and grows. Because in the end, the strategies that last are those built not for a perfect world but for the real one.
Manu Sharma
https://manusharma.ca
