The more you write ‘strategy’, the less likely it is you have one
Why is a ‘strategic plan’ more compelling than a plain old plan? Why does a ‘strategic budget’ sound more thought out and important than a budget? Brunswick Group’s Edward Stephens investigates the ubiquitous S word.
When a corporate leader ceases to be effective, it is time to retire. However brilliant they may once have been, there will be a moment when their value has diminished and they need to step aside.
For sports professionals past their prime, the same holds true. We retire clothes that we once considered elegant, but which now have lost their shape and no longer serve the purpose for which they were bought. This is the natural course of events.
Strangely, we are reluctant to apply the same discipline to the words we use in business, which can have a dulling effect no less profound than a doddering CEO at the helm. Business today is replete with words that either have lost their meaning or are so bland and shop-soiled that they convey nothing.
And who thought ‘strategic plan’ was an oxymoron?
Yes, Edward, ‘strategic plan’ belongs in the buzzword bin. Along with engage, content, key, commitment, sustainable and other nouns strung together to make the meaningless sound meaningful.
Where is my clapping emoji
My current favourite is “capabilities development”.
It’s not training, it’s “capabilities development”.
Edward-Thank you for your article. I think that it makes a great point. But I think that in order to bring it full circle, you need to offer some alternatives. Identifying a problem is good, but providing alternatives is better. Thank you.