I once attended a corporate strategy session that could have doubled as a Christmas wish list. Everyone around the table contributed something they wanted. Growth. Innovation. Culture change. Digital transformation. All good ideas. None of them strategic.
A true strategy makes choices. It directs attention, people, and money toward a defined end. It says what you will do and what you will not. Most corporate “strategies” avoid this because trade-offs feel uncomfortable. Nobody wants to admit that their initiative is less critical than someone else’s. The result is a deck of aspirations that pleases everyone and commits to nothing.
You can recognise a wish list by its language. It is full of words like “enhance,” “accelerate,” and “foster.” It sounds inspirational but lacks precision. Ask how success will be measured, and the room goes quiet. A wish list makes people feel good, but it does not make them act.
A proper strategy involves sacrifice. It offends someone. It narrows options. But that focus gives direction. It aligns effort and builds conviction. Strategy without trade-offs is fantasy.
Leaders often fall into the trap of confusing alignment with agreement. They assume everyone nodding in the room means commitment. It does not. Commitment happens only when people understand priorities and accept the consequences.
When you define a strategy clearly, you make it possible for teams to execute. When you pretend that everything is important, you make it impossible for them to choose.
Key Takeaways
- Strategy is about choice, not aspiration.
- Wish lists comfort people but change nothing.
- Real alignment requires visible trade-offs.
- Strategy that offends no one usually achieves little.
- Clarity creates focus. Focus creates results.
Try This
Look at your current strategic plan. For each objective, ask, “What are we not doing because of this?” If you cannot answer clearly, it is not a strategy. It is still a wish list.
Closing Thought
If you recognise your organisation in this, share this article with your leadership team. It might be time to stop collecting wishes and start making choices.
