Thinking you've got no strategy

Sometimes we really have no strategy. All we have are tactics, methods and activities that do no good. We're spinning our wheels, going through the motions getting nowhere. We look busy but have nothing to show for our efforts.

Other times, we think we have no strategy when we really are using strategies. We assume we don't have one because we did not think it up deliberately or consciously chose our strategy. When you're thinking you've got no strategy, first look for:

• changes that have occurred
• outcomes that have been realized
• results that have been produced
• differences that have been made
• deals that have been worked out
• successes that have been accomplished
• solutions that have been used

Then consider how any of those happened:

• Was there more than one way to accomplish it?
• Was a particular approach taken that differed from other ways to get it done?
• Was it difficult or opposed in some way that needed to be overcome?
• Did the situation require some adaptation or responsiveness to varied conditions?
• Did the effort depend on special abilities, desires or experiences?

A strategy is how it happened that a result occurred. You've got a strategy anytime there's been a change, whether or not you think you've got a strategy. When there's been no change, you either have no strategy or a flawed strategy that does not work for you to get that change. Then there's lots of strategic thinking to do to get the change that's desired.