Strategy, decoded: what It really is (and how to master it)

"I've spent more than two decades working with leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams around the world to help them become more strategic in how they think, act and make decisions. Along the way, I've seen the same frustration crop up over and over again: people know strategy matters but don't know how to "do" it. The good news? Strategy-and being strategic-isn't a mysterious skill reserved for those sitting around the boardroom or graduating from business school."

"Strategy isn't a document-it's a mindset Many picture strategy as a dense presentation or abstract five-year plan. At its core, though, strategy is about making meaningful choices. It requires zooming out to see different perspectives, managing complexity and uncertainty, deciding what matters most, and aligning actions accordingly. Strategy is both a skill and a mindset-a lens and a habit. It's a way of scanning your environment with curiosity, noticing what you see-and don't see-and choosing where to focus limited time, energy, and resources."

Strategy involves making meaningful choices, managing complexity and uncertainty, and aligning actions with priorities. Strategic thinking requires zooming out to see diverse perspectives, scanning the environment with curiosity, and noticing what is visible and what is missing. Strategy functions as both a skill and a mindset, practiced through habits that direct limited time, energy, and resources toward what matters most. Strategic capability is learnable and valuable at all career stages; developing strategic muscles early increases options and improves decision outcomes. Common misconceptions include treating strategy as a document or reserving it for senior leaders, which limits broader organizational effectiveness.

Read at Fast Company