Fast Strategy? That’s a Risk!
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
”Sun Tzu, The Art of War.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after decades in business, it’s that successful strategists don’t rush. They know that timing is everything – and that saying no is as much a strategy as saying yes – sometimes more so.
Saying yes too often creates noise – and eventually, problems. There’s movement, energy, and activity – but commotion doesn’t mean progress. It’s often a sign that a tactician is at the helm – when a strategist should be steering.
Business isn’t like Sail GP. It’s not all about going fast and being first to finish. It’s about finding the right pace – so you’re in the right place, at the right time – to achieve both short term wins and long term success.
That’s why I cringe when I hear advice like: “Move fast. Rapid strategy wins!” It sounds clever – but as every top sailor (or race director) will tell you, breakthroughs don’t happen in a hurry.
On my own business journey, I’ve seen both approaches at play – and the real power is found in patience, not panic.
Recently, I saw a graphic listing the seven traits of a “strategy-driven organisation.” I agreed with all except the first one, which pushed the idea of “rapid strategy development – encouraging teams to engage in quick strategy formulation and allowing them to act fast.”
I get the intention. Move quick. Be nimble. Stay ahead. But putting “rapid” and “strategy” in the same sentence is risky. When strategy is rushed, it usually means tactical thinking is being used to make strategic decisions. That rarely ends well. It often sabotages potential.
I’m not saying ‘slow’ is the goal. I’m saying being ready is better than being fast. If “rapid” means responsive and well-prepared, I’m all for it. But if it means speed is the measure of success, I’d choose to differ.
Strategic decisions take more time for a reason: they have longer-term consequences and deserve more research, deeper thought, and serious consideration. You’ll want to get them right. In my mind – and in my experience, strategy done well (not fast) is usually stronger, and leads to tactics done better.
Real-World Examples
Many moons ago, my business partner and I were running five businesses. We were meeting a business coach for the first time and had just explained our situation to him – including our plan to franchise one of those five businesses within 18 months. After hearing us out, he asked a question we weren’t expecting. It was direct and it stopped us in our tracks:
“OK, so you own and operate five businesses. What are you doing properly?”
That one question forced us to pause, reflect, and take stock. It instantly exposed a blind spot. We realised we had it all wrong. We needed to be more strategic and smarter about how we used our time, energy, and resources. We needed to decide where to focus.
So, we made some bold decisions. We closed one business, sold another two, and offered a shareholding to a trusted team member to manage the fourth. That freed our time to double down on the business with the most potential. It wasn’t a quick decision, it was a well-considered one. And it paid off. Strategic decisions, made well, usually do.
Then, just one month later, we were confronted by another unexpected challenge.
One of our team phoned us from the field: she’d seen our competitor’s products in our city for the first time. That didn’t faze my business partner or me too much – until we saw their “franchise for sale” advertisements appear soon after.
We hadn’t anticipated that and were still a long way from being ready to franchise. They were first to market. It was tempting to rush. But we held our nerve. We stuck to our strategy. Quality, over compromise. Strength over speed.
Instead of reacting, we kept testing, refining, and strengthening our systems, processes, and practices. We wanted to know, without a doubt, that we could consistently deliver, high-quality products, services and results for our customers and franchisees – time after time.
The Outcome
When we finally launched our franchise offering (17 months later), we had developed a stronger business model, better product range, and a more refined customer service experience.
The market responded. Our first eight franchisees were all onboard within two months. We scaled quickly.
Within two years of launching our franchise offering, we had leapfrogged our competitor and become the market leader, and were nationwide. More proof that strategy beats speed.
What’s the Lesson?
Fast action doesn’t mean strong strategy. In fact, it’s often just tactical thinking dressed up in urgency – and it eventually falls short. A well-considered strategy always beats fast tactics in the long run.
Breakthroughs happen when you pause, think clearly, prepare well, pick your moment, and move with purpose.
So next time you feel pressured to go fast, ask yourself:
>What’s the potential upside? Low, medium, or high?
>How long will that impact last? Short-term, medium-term, or longer?
If the answer points to high potential, and long-term gains, that’s your cue to think strategically. Don’t react to urgency. The right move, made at the right time, usually wins in the long run.
If you’re ready to trade fast action for focused progress and better results, maybe it’s time to get in touch to talk about where you want to take your business. There’s no charge for that. Interested? Email me now.
Otherwise, keep an eye out for next week’s article – where I’ll show you how to spot when a marketing tagline isn’t just a catchy phrase, but a well-thought out strategy in disguise.
Cheers,
Geoff
