What is Strategy?

Let’s get one thing straight.

Strategy is not a document. It’s not a deck. It’s not a to-do list.

Strategy is a plan for change - for making things better. It’s the rallying cry of visionary leaders who look at the status quo and say, “This isn’t good enough.”

It’s not about what is.

It’s about what could be.

But let’s not sugarcoat it: strategy is hard.

Not because it’s complicated. But because it requires courage.

Courage to see differently, to choose deliberately, and to lead intentionally.

The Vision Must Be Visible

The first challenge of any strategy? Clarity.

You can’t move people to a better place if they don’t know where they’re going. Or why. Or how.

And yet, this is where most leadership teams fall flat. They might have a strategy, but they haven’t made it visible.

That means two things:

• Choosing the right strategy – one that plays to your unique strengths and speaks to a real, human need in the market.
• Communicating it effectively – so that everyone in your organisation is aligned, inspired, and moving in the same direction.

Get one without the other? It all falls apart.

A brilliant plan with no buy-in is dead on arrival.

An energised team with no direction becomes busy... but busy going nowhere.

Effective leadership is all about strategy

If you're a leader, you're a strategist - whether you like it or not.

And at the top? That’s not the Chief 'Executive' Officer.

That’s the Chief 'Execution' Officer - for execution is what an executive should be doing.

And your job is to make sure that everything being executed... is on strategy.

As the world shifts - markets change, technologies evolve, competitors emerge - you need a clear plan to navigate the chaos. Not solo. But together. As a team. As a business. As a movement. As a brand.

Strategy is what gives shape to that movement.

It’s the thing that makes the next step obvious. It brings focus.

It lets your people see the difference between a good idea and a distracting one.

It reduces waste and builds momentum.

The Cost of No Strategy

Let’s call it out.

No strategy = chaos.

No strategy is saying yes to everything and standing for nothing.

It’s a constant loop of “quick wins” that add up to nothing meaningful.

No strategy means your people burn out - because they’re reacting, not creating.

They don't know what's next.

They second-guess their ideas.

They copy the competition (The classic "Brand Trap" read more on this here »).

No strategy is mediocrity dressed up as effort.

Strategy Requires Intent

Great strategy takes discipline. Alignment. Intent.

It’s not just about being better. It’s about being different in a way that’s valuable.

Let’s break it down:

EXTERNALLY, strategy asks:

• Who are we here to serve? (Ideal audience)
• What’s their pain or desire? (Audience problem or ambition)
• What else are they looking at? (Market/competition)
• What’s a better way forward for them? (Positioning)

INTERNALLY, strategy demands:

• What’s our current reality? (Honest self-assessment)
• Why must we change? (The burning platform)
• How will we do it? (The roadmap)
• What does success look like? (The end result)

Simple? Yes.

Easy? No.

Worth it? Always.

Real World Results.

Monzo Bank didn’t just launch another bank. They saw the pain: traditional banking felt cold, complicated, and opaque. Their strategy? Be the anti-bank (Instant spend notifications, no hidden fees, vibrant "human" comms, a community-driven product roadmap etc). By aligning their entire org around clarity, control and community, Monzo didn’t just win customers - they built believers. That’s strategy made visible.

Octopus Energy looked at the UK energy market - clunky, outdated, distrusted - and said: “This isn’t good enough.” Their strategy? Focus on a great customer experience. How did they do it? Built a tech-first platform, made billing simple and transparent, prioritise renewable energy, invested in delivering award-winning customer service. They didn’t just sell energy. They reimagined the experience, made it joyful, and put customers in control. Their strategy turned an uninspiring utility into a beloved brand.

LUSH didn’t just sell soap. They took a hard look at the beauty industry with all its packaging waste, chemical formulas, animal testing - and chose a radically different path. Their strategy? Go naked (packaging-free) where possible, prioritise fresh, handmade, ethical ingredients, turn stores into sensory experiences, take bold stands on social and environmental issues. They made their values visible - in-store, online, and on every bath bomb. It’s why customers don’t just buy Lush, they join the movement.

BrewDog entered a stale beer market full of mass-produced lagers and said: “Let’s blow it up.” Their strategy? Position as the punks of craft beer, use bold, anti-corporate language, build an “Equity for Punks” investor community, go direct-to-fan with bars, ecomm, and events. They made beer part of a lifestyle. Controversial? Often. But deeply strategic. BrewDog didn’t just market a product - they stood for a philosophy. That’s why it caught fire.

So... What Is a Strategy?

To borrow from the brilliant Seth Godin:

“A strategy is about who you serve, how you serve them, and the change you seek to make.”

To that I’d add:

• It’s how you choose to matter.
• It about the unique value you bring to the market.
• It’s the difference between motion and momentum.
• It’s how leaders lead and teams follow - not blindly, but boldly.

If you want to lead a business that stands out, that delivers unique value, and that makes change happen - you 100% will need strategy.

Not just any strategy.

The right one. And one that everyone understands.

Because only then can you go from where you are to where you could be.

And isn’t that what leadership’s really about?

Want help crafting your strategy? Let’s talk.

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