[October 26, 2017] Contrary to the commonsense notion that senior leaders undertake great efforts to develop strategies that encompass all elements of their power, many are not concerned about strategy. A new book out by Victor Davis Hanson posits that the Axis Powers leading up to World War II were driven by tactical ambition and overlooked the Allied long-term strategic superiority in armament, logistics, and determination.1
A poorly executed strategy or an inferior strategy is not at issue here. Written about at theLeaderMaker.com, on several occasions (see links here, here, and here) we have discussed the importance of strategy vice tactics. As noted, a well-developed strategy prioritizes objectives, aligns resources, provides a guide for activities, clarifies risks, and establishes a realistic end-state.
“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.” – Sun Tzu, ancient Chinese general
Strategy is hard work and requires considerable time and intellectual resources to create. It can be neglected by even the most powerful leaders (as Hanson demonstrates in his WWII book) and those with money, fame, and authority (as the last U.S. presidential election shows). Tactics, on the other hand, are much more interesting and fun for a leader; results can be quick and rewarding. It is no surprise that leaders gravitate to tactics over strategy.
The biggest problem, however, for leaders who have no strategy is that their resources are not prioritized and risks are overlooked or minimized. Things like ethical behavior, knowing why you are a leader, providing a clear vision, and effective use of resources – those things requiring hard work to get right – are sacrificed for the every-day tactical action.
Without strategy to guide us, inevitably we will witness a “means justifies the ends” attitude permeating an organization. Many companies with exciting and innovative leadership crash upon the rocks of their competitors because too much attention was being focused on those things that are unnecessary to bring about a win in the marketplace.
An army with a good strategy can be successful with mediocre tactics; but an army without a good strategy can never be successful regardless of the quality of its tactics. The Axis Powers lost WWII with horrific results to make them surrender. This is why great leaders place their effort on the development of good strategy.
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