The Definitions of Strategy and Tactics: Why You’ll Always Need Both
Business Tactics

Business tactics are short-term plans that don’t deviate from the overall strategy. These are the actions that influence the success or failure of a business strategy. Because they define an action, they’re often time-limited and can be quite fluid. Being fluid allows different tactics to be used depending on the situation. Often these come about because something that a business believed proved not to be the case. This means that tactics may vary massively, both negatively and positively!

For example, if a competitor reduced a price on a product that was part of a strategy, the effect might require a response. A response might be to do nothing or to change tactics. A change of tactics might be to reduce the price, but that could lose margin. Another step might be to differentiate by creating a promotion to add value for the customer.

There are lots of points to consider and that’s the power of tactics. It makes no assumptions about the future but instead reacts to the current situation.

A business might also find itself in a positive position: a competitor going out of business or having supply chain issues, for example. All of them should compel a tactical response, enabling a business to make the most of the opportunity. Of course, that tactical change should be balanced against any strategy that’s in place.

At the outset of this article, I stated, “strategy vs tactics: don’t they mean the same thing?”

I don’t believe they’re the same thing at all. For me, it’s clear that a business needs both to be a winner. I say that with utter conviction from my experiences and seeing how important a good strategy is in achieving success.

Having an array of tactics enables a business to respond quickly, especially in times of change. These can include changes to the marketplace, competitors, and customers. All things that can’t be easily planned for.

The essence of navigating through this is down to one thing: leadership. Good leadership in business is a critical success factor. Leadership comes with a responsibility to make decisions. Simply put, using the right tactics at the right time to deliver the strategy.
['Darren Matthews']
['Strategy', 'Leadership', 'Business', 'Business Strategy', 'Startup']