The “Death” of Strategy & Dating Ryan

Gosling

Strategy is an artifact of slower times Change is happening so fast The distinction between strategy and tactics blurs

…Forbes Magazine

Nonsense!

Strategy is as distinct from tactics as appetite is from a meal…

…the former informing the later – and never the other way around

“If you want to date me you better have a

strategy”

In simple terms… Strategy defines “why” you do something Tactics define “how” you do it

GoalHow will you know you’ve succeeded?ActionWhat needs to happen to fulfill the goal?AudienceWho is essential to achieving your goal?InsightsWhy would the audience take action?

Strategy & tactics fail without 4 essentials

AFTER you get your goal, action, audience, & insight THEN you identify your strategy

BEFORE you pick your tactics

A strategy explains why the action fulfills the goal & the insight

It is a sentence…and not much more

Tactics are the things you do to bring the strategy to life

Blurring strategy and tactics makes the tactics you deploy ineffective, inefficient, or both

FOR EXAMPLE…

Just say…You want to date Ryan Gosling.

What would you do?•What if I told you that he owns a Moroccan

restaurant, likes knitting, and supports PETA

Now what would you do? •Bump into him at his restaurant •Ask him how to do a stocking stitch? • Join his next “puppy mill” raid?

Unfortunately, none of these activities is based on a behavior changing insight – they are not strategiesThey are tactics – but they may not be good tactics because neither is based on any insight about why Mr. Gosling would date you.

Tactic #1Ignore him.

Tactic #2Date his friend.

STRATEGY = PLAY HARD TO GET“I like women that

are a challenge…”

What if you knew…

Tactic #1 Buy him ice cream.

Tactic #2Find a common interest.

STRATEGY = UPGRADE A FRIENDSHIP

“I can’t be romantic with a woman unless

we’re friends first”

What if you knew…

STRATEGY IS ALWAYS:About why : a directional approach to achieving the goal

Derived from research, insights, knowledge and experience

Developed BEFORE tactics

Tied directly to the goal

BE FIERCELY PROTECTIVEof strategyBE FLEXIBLEaround tactical ideasBE RIGOROUSaround tactical execution

You too, can date Ryan Gosling.