Uncertainty has become the new normal in the business world, with 84% of executives believing their organizations are not prepared for the next disruption. The root cause of this problem is often a case of mistaking planning for strategy. Planning is about creating a list of actions, while strategy is a set of interrelated, intentional choices about where to play, how to win, and what to do.
This distinction matters now more than ever, as an economy defined by geopolitical tension, supply-chain fragility, AI disruption, key resource constraints, and shifting consumer behavior demands bold, strategic decisions. Mistaking activity for strategy is proving costly, with organizations often confusing movement with momentum.
However, there are examples of companies that have resisted this reflex to over-plan and made deliberate, sometimes unpopular choices that gave them direction when others drifted. These include IKEA, which has stayed consistent for decades by staying anchored to one clear choice: making good design affordable for the many, not the few. Nintendo has outperformed its competitors by ignoring the arms race and defining its own game. LEGO has redefined its core mission to become a global leader in creator play, rather than just a manufacturer of toy bricks.
Novo Nordisk's success has been built on strategic focus over tactical plans, with a clear direction: expand leadership in diabetes and metabolic health care. The payoff has been significant revenue growth and operating profit increases.
So why do so many leaders cling to planning? Because planning feels safe, it creates the illusion of progress with slides, charts, and milestones that comfort shareholders. Strategy, by contrast, feels risky, requiring courage, clarity, and a willingness to think longer-term when short-term pressures dominate.
To avoid this confusion, leaders can make three shifts: be clear on their ambition, start by clarifying where to play and how to win, ensure they're having these conversations, treat strategy as dynamic choice-making, surface, challenge, and update assumptions, not goals. Successful companies prove that clarity, not rigidity, drives resilience.
The cost of getting it wrong is predictable: organizations will optimize yesterday's business model, reward activity over impact, and lose confidence and coherence. In contrast, BCG research shows that organizations with precise alignment of purpose, strategy, and culture can generate significantly higher shareholder returns.
Ultimately, leaders who thrive won't be those with the best laid plans, but those with the clearest direction – and the courage to hold it. Planning is about control; strategy is about courage. So ask yourself: are we executing a plan, or living a strategy?
This distinction matters now more than ever, as an economy defined by geopolitical tension, supply-chain fragility, AI disruption, key resource constraints, and shifting consumer behavior demands bold, strategic decisions. Mistaking activity for strategy is proving costly, with organizations often confusing movement with momentum.
However, there are examples of companies that have resisted this reflex to over-plan and made deliberate, sometimes unpopular choices that gave them direction when others drifted. These include IKEA, which has stayed consistent for decades by staying anchored to one clear choice: making good design affordable for the many, not the few. Nintendo has outperformed its competitors by ignoring the arms race and defining its own game. LEGO has redefined its core mission to become a global leader in creator play, rather than just a manufacturer of toy bricks.
Novo Nordisk's success has been built on strategic focus over tactical plans, with a clear direction: expand leadership in diabetes and metabolic health care. The payoff has been significant revenue growth and operating profit increases.
So why do so many leaders cling to planning? Because planning feels safe, it creates the illusion of progress with slides, charts, and milestones that comfort shareholders. Strategy, by contrast, feels risky, requiring courage, clarity, and a willingness to think longer-term when short-term pressures dominate.
To avoid this confusion, leaders can make three shifts: be clear on their ambition, start by clarifying where to play and how to win, ensure they're having these conversations, treat strategy as dynamic choice-making, surface, challenge, and update assumptions, not goals. Successful companies prove that clarity, not rigidity, drives resilience.
The cost of getting it wrong is predictable: organizations will optimize yesterday's business model, reward activity over impact, and lose confidence and coherence. In contrast, BCG research shows that organizations with precise alignment of purpose, strategy, and culture can generate significantly higher shareholder returns.
Ultimately, leaders who thrive won't be those with the best laid plans, but those with the clearest direction – and the courage to hold it. Planning is about control; strategy is about courage. So ask yourself: are we executing a plan, or living a strategy?
. Like, what's in a name, right? IKEA's just been consistent for decades because they're making good design accessible to everyone, not just the few who can afford it 
. And Nintendo's success isn't even about the games, it's about creating their own world 
. The problem is all these other companies are just making stuff up and thinking that's a strategy 
. It's actually really easy to get caught up in planning because it feels safe and comfortable, but at the end of the day, it's not going to drive any real growth or change 
.
i mean, can u believe 84% of execs think their orgs r not prepared for the next disruption? that's like saying half of us think we're gonna be able to afford a new car this month 
. it just doesn't add up. planning and strategy are not even close, and yet so many people keep mixing them up. i mean, i've seen people get so caught up in making plans that they forget to actually do anything meaningful. ikea's got it right, though - focusing on one clear goal and sticking to it is way more important than just making a bunch of moves 
. But trust me, those guys who got it right, like Novo Nordisk and LEGO... they didn't play by the rules 
!
its like theyre thinking planning = strategy 
IKEA and Nintendo have proven that staying true to ur core mission and values is way more important than trying to keep up with the latest trends 
Novo Nordisk's focus on diabetes care is a great example of this too 
leaders need to stop clinging to planning and start living their strategy 
. Like, I've seen people spend hours planning their posts, but are they actually creating content that's gonna engage their audience? 
. It sounds like corporate speak to me 
. Let's get back to making decisions that matter, not just ones that'll keep us in the black 
. It's like trying to predict the future with a crystal ball instead of having a clear vision for where you want to go. Companies that prioritize strategy over planning are the ones that consistently outperform their competitors, like IKEA and Nintendo 
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. But the truth is, planning can be a cop-out when it comes to making tough decisions. Strategy requires courage, clarity, and a willingness to take calculated risks 
. It's not about rigid plans or control, but about embracing flexibility and adaptability 
.
... I mean, who wouldn't want more money 
... my cousin once told me about this one entrepreneur who started a food truck and just went with it 
... no plans, no prep – just trust that it would work out. And guess what? It did! So yeah, I think leaders need to be more like that risk-taker cousin. But at the same time, planning is still super important too... just not the kind of planning that's all about making slides and charts 
. More about having a clear vision for where you wanna go. Make sense?
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, but what about all the other companies out there? Why aren't more of them pushing the boundaries and thinking differently? And isn't it weird that planning feels safer than strategy 
. I mean, shouldn't leadership be about being bold and taking risks, not just playing it safe with slides and charts 
? It's scary to make big moves, but it sounds like we need to stop worrying about gettin' it wrong and start focusing on what we wanna achieve in the long run 
. It's all about bein' clear on your goals and takin' calculated risks 
.
