Strategy Is an Everyday Choice: Here's How
"I need to be more strategic," my clients tell me. "But I don't know what that actually means."
Yup, fair question.
Because here's the thing: everyone talks about strategy. Be more strategic. Think strategically. Align on strategy. But no one explains how you're supposed to do that when it's 9 AM on a Tuesday, your calendar is packed, and your team needs an answer.
Strategy is a mindset
While strategy is, at its core, a plan of action, I also believe strategy is a mindset. This Harvard Business Review article reframes strategic thinking not as something that only happens in off-sites and boardrooms, but as something you do in the small, daily decisions that add up.
So let's talk about what that actually looks like in practice.
Everyday shift #1: Extend your time horizon
So many of my clients are execution machines (I say this with great reverence). They're focused, highly effective at getting stuff done. But I've also noticed this can sometimes come at the cost of focusing on the bigger picture and what might impact the organization for the future and a sustained competitive advantage.
It’s the difference between driving with your eyes fixed on the hood of the car… and lifting your gaze to look down the road.
Here's how: Before you make your next big decision, ask yourself these questions:
How might this play out in 12 months? In 18? In 24?
What impact will this have on the business a year from now?
Are you helping your team consider how today’s choices shape next year’s reality?
Everyday shift #2: Broaden the aperture - "my team" to "the organization."
I've heard many times from my C-level clients that they wish their teams had an "enterprise mindset" – one that breaks down silos and considers the full landscape. That mindset doesn't just appear. Building the habit of looking at issues from a broader perspective is like building a new muscle – it takes time and practice.
Here's how: When you're in a meeting, planning a project, or advocating for a resource, pause. Ask yourself, “How does this impact other functions?” “What's the broader tradeoff here?” “Are we optimizing the entire organization, or just our corner of it?”
Make it a practice. Every time. Eventually, it will become second nature.
Everyday Shift #3: Focus on what has the biggest impact
It’s easy to get busy, pack your calendars with meetings, and see how many deliverables you can get through on any given day, but this doesn’t say anything about your strategic ability.
The article mentions "focus on what matters most," and that's exactly how I think about scale.
To be truly strategic, you have to get truly focused.
Here's how: Look at what's on your plate and prioritize what needs to be protected to have the biggest impact. Map out your workload for each week with a scale focused mindset so that your productivity is moving the needle.
It’s very likely going to show you that your strategic choice isn’t about adding anything new — it’s about giving more room to the things that need some space.
You can start developing your strategic leadership skills today.
Start by looking farther ahead, thinking bigger, and focusing on what matters most. Does it seem simple? Sure. But is it remarkably significant? Yes. And, more importantly, it’s available to you right now.
If you want help building strategic habits for yourself and your team, I'd love to talk. At Amplify Strategy, we focus on real-world strategy, not just theory. Book a call.
Dawn Garibaldi is the CEO and Founder of Amplify Strategy Group. As an experienced corporate leader and certified executive coach, she’s on a mission to serve leaders who find themselves in high stress, high stakes, new or changed situations to create significant impact, confident performance and powerful relationships -- with stakeholders, teams and peers. She shares powerful strategies and tactics to quickly amplify confidence, success and achievements far beyond what they thought possible.