I know what you’re thinking: “But I just read a post saying strategy must be simple, fit on a napkin, and be written wearing a t-shirt and sneakers while having lots of fun.” Let me guess: it promised you that a real strategy should never be more than three slides long.
Well… that’s simply not true.
Complexity belongs in definition
Strategy definition can, and sometimes should, be complex. Use all the data, models, algorithms and slideware you need, if that’s what it takes to solve the actual strategy challenge.
Simplicity belongs in execution
But once it’s time to start walking your strategic journey, complexity becomes your enemy. You’re no longer solving alone: now you’re marching thousands of people towards a goal, and no one wants to carry a 300-slide deck through that journey. Your team needs to know where they are on the journey and where to go.
So what do you need for execution?
- A crystal-clear one-page version of your strategy that shows what matters, and therefore what doesn’t.
- A set of measurable input and output objectives that turn assumptions into results.
- A few real initiatives that actually move the needle, not ones that just look great on slide 47.
- A narrative people understand, believe in, and feel proud to be part of.
It isn’t about making strategy look simple. It’s about making it work.
At Strat.exe, we help organisations bridge the gap between complex strategy and real execution. No fluff, no fairy dust, and no sneakers either. Just frameworks that actually work.