How to think strategically
Cut out the fluff and get to the heart of it
Welcome to Every Day is a Strategy Day, where we break down strategy into something usable, memorable, and a little provocative. This edition is inspired by my conversation with Alex Smith, author of No Bullsh*t Strategy and creator of the Strategy Shortcut System — a man on a mission to raise the strategic bar for every founder, not just the Fortune 500. It was great to speak to a fellow strategist, compare notes, and explore the frontiers of strategy practice.
Think.
Start with supply and demand. Always. Cut out the the fluff, and strategy comes down to two questions:
How can we increase demand for what we do?
How can we reduce the supply of alternatives?
It sounds almost too simple. But that’s the point. Complexity is often the enemy of clarity in strategic thinking. Many executives spend their time obsessing over surface-level metrics, short-term fixes, or internal politics. They confuse motion with progress. Activity with strategy. They may be excellent operators — but are they thinking strategically?
Strategy is about where you place your gaze. Is it zoomed in — focused on perfecting your existing bread recipe? Or zoomed out — asking whether you’re even in the right bakery business? (love that analogy of Alex’s).
Here’s a set of questions to stimulate your own strategic thinking:
What do you uniquely believe about your market?
Most companies sound the same. They sell the same features, make the same claims, and talk about the same trends. What’s your good faith disagreement with the rest of your category? What do you know or believe that others don’t?
Where are you creating real value?
Are you solving a problem that matters — or one that’s convenient? Are you creating something that’s in high demand but short supply? If not, you might be playing a commodity game — which means your margins, motivation and meaning are all at risk.
Who’s your strategy for?
Many strategic statements are written for the boardroom. But the best ones guide real people making real decisions, every day.
Ask:
Could every person on my team explain our strategy in their own words?
Would they make different decisions because of it?
How high is your gaze?
Think like a market analyst, not a product manager. Zoom out. Look at trends, structural forces, and competitor patterns. Don’t just ask, “What should we build next?” Ask, “What’s broken in our category — and how can we break it further?”
Think of strategy, not as a document, but a lens. It’s how you view the world — and decide what not to do.
Listen.
You can listen to my Lancefield on the Line podcast with Alex here. We cover a lot of ground! Here are some highlights:
Why most businesses don’t actually have a strategy.
The two fundamental problems every company faces — and how to fix them.
Why extreme humility is the secret weapon of great strategists.
The biggest mistake leaders make when trying to ‘be strategic’.
How to communicate strategy so that everyone in your company actually gets it.
You can watch the episode here:
Visualise.
Think of strategy as a cascade of intent — where each layer flows from the one above it, building coherence as it moves through the organisation. The top sets the direction. The bottom executes it with empowerment.
Here’s how it flows:
Value – What unique value are we creating, and why will it matter?
Positioning – How do we differentiate ourselves in the market, especially for our customers?
Product & Services – What do we actually build, deliver, or design that delights our customers?
Capabilities and culture – What behaviours, norms, mindsets, and structures will enable that strategy?
Brand & Communication – How do we express and reinforce our identity in the world?
Many organisations begin at the bottom - creating a campaign, launching a feature, or rebranding — without aligning it to a strategic anchor.
Alex calls this “parallel blobs of information” — disjointed efforts without a clear cascade. Great strategy brings order, focus and flow.
Read.
He’s certainly not the flavour of the month in many countries – check out what’s happening in front of some Tesla dealerships - but Elon Musk’s Masterplan from 2006, referred to by Alex, is a clear strategy statement.
There’s no jargon. No fluff. Just clarity and vision. Check it out here.
Perhaps he should have another go, this time focusing on himself. Just a thought.
Challenge yourself.
Unlearning bad habits or out of date mindsets is a strategic practice in self-awareness and humility. Many of us struggle to do it, especially if we consider ourselves experts.
This week, practise being the strategist in learning mode - not the one with the answers, but the one asking the sharpest questions.
With your team, ask this simple question: “What’s our strategy?” See how aligned (or not) the responses are, and start a conversation about what it should be. Create a strategy statement based on your answers to these questions:
What’s broken in our market?
What do we believe others have missed?
What are we going to do differently?
What value will that create - and for whom?
Pitch your statement to a new joiner in your organisation or somebody considered to be a rebel. Invite them to challenge it - and improve it!
Strategy Shift.
I’m finalising a new article, written with Dina Denham Smith, on how to be strategic when facing disappointment, which I can’t wait to share with you.
A lot of disappointment at work comes from how we show up in meetings. Yes, it might be a dull topic. You might think you’ve got it handled - “what’s the problem” and “nothing to learn here”.
So why do you:
Complain about the number of wasteful meetings in your organisation and in your schedule?
Get frustrated that the meetings don't lead to decisions and better outcomes?
Not perform at your best when it counts, damaging your reputation amongst your bosses and peers?
Not invite the right people or get the most from them when they do attend?
Is it time to take a fresh look at how you show up?
My toolkit - the most comprehensive, substantive, and immediately useful toolkit in the market I reckon - can help you transform how meetings help improve your positioning, performance, and prospects. Check it out and start using it!
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That’s all for this edition. Thanks for your interest, encouragement, and inspiration.
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