Kickfannie InsideStrategy

by Coach Kathy Wilson, Change Strategist

WHY I LOVE STRATEGY (And Why You Should Too…)

I’m not one of those high ‘C’ people (on the DiSC assessment) who love processes and analysis and research and exactness. Quite the opposite and I mean that literally. I am one of those high ‘i’ people who would prefer to brainstorm, share ideas, talk about innovation, and keep their eyes on the big picture. So my love for strategy came as a big surprise. It was a flirtation in the beginning. I would drop the word “strategy” every now and then when one of my clients asked me to provide training and I wanted to know where the training fit into the overall landscape and what they were trying to accomplish by implementing training. The relationship deepened when I had to help some of my clients take a broader view in determining what learning and development initiatives to launch, and how to create a supportive environment. But still, no love. I rarely even used the word outside of client environments.

My own business was thriving. I had great clients and steady work. Yet there was some uneasiness settling in around me that I could not quite put my finger on. To keep my business moving, each year I would create an action plan; a list of things I’d like to do and accomplish. Not all items got checked off, but I felt like it was a good system for me because it allowed me to switch gears and choose a new direction whenever I wanted to. But the uneasiness… I began feeling it more and more. Then one day I heard this voice in my head, “Where are you going?” It was a question I could not answer. So I took some time to step back, reassess my direction and, here it comes, create a strategic plan of my own. Just the thought of having to be structured, which is what I assumed having a strategic plan would require, put knots in my stomach and made me sweat. But I did it anyway. And 25 pages later, a love affair was born.

Strategy is a part of our everyday life. We always have a strategy, an outcome we would like to see, usually within a certain period of time, even if we aren’t completely conscious of it, and then we align our thoughts and actions in order to bring about our desired outcome. This is the essence of strategy. A strategic plan gives you an opportunity to determine what outcomes (strategic initiatives) you’d like to see come to fruition within one year, three years, or five years. And then you get to align your actions (goals) to those outcomes. If you’re business does not have a strategic plan, how do you know if what you are doing, the way you are doing it, is right for your business? And how do you know that the path that you are on will take you to your desired outcome?

Here’s another reason I love strategy – and you should too; strategy is not so much about structure as it is focus. What I originally thought I had, flexibility and freedom, was really just a lack of focus. With a strategic plan I still have the flexibility and freedom to choose how I will bring about my desired outcome; it’s just that now my flexibility and freedom are focused and it is much easier for me to know, with certainty, how I should be spending my time. When you do not have a strategy for your business, every opportunity looks good and you have no idea what you should say yes and no to, and it is difficult to know what you should and should not be doing. You risk wasting a lot of energy, time and resources if you choose to move forward without a strategic plan.

I love strategy because strategy shows no favorites. Regardless of whether you love analysis and research, or prefer the big sky thinking, strategy is willing to love you back; it is willing to give back just as much as you give to it. If your goal is to build a business, you should love strategy because strategy is your roadmap to successful execution. Strategy gives you and your business direction, purpose, and focus.

About the Contributor

Kathy, a former collegiate and professional basketball player and coach, is a speaker, author and change strategist in the Washington, DC area. Balancing the lessons she learned on the basketball court with her experience as an organizational training & development expert, Kathy brings a unique perspective on how to break through unconscious barriers in order to create positive and lasting change.

Kathy holds a BA in Communications from the University of North Carolina @ Chapel Hill, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Leadership Coaching and a Masters in Organizational Management from The George Washington University. For ten years Kathy has worked with a wide range of clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to public organizations including, The Securities and Exchange Commission, The Congressional Black Caucus, Vanderbilt University, Mary Washington Healthcare and Morgan Stanley empowering individuals to transform the way they work and live.

For additional information on Kathy Wilson check out her website at www.coachkathywilson.com