

If your strategy is to climb a mountain, one key component of your strategy might be to decide which side of the mountain you should climb. Strategy and tactics work together as means to an end.

It’s much easier to adjust tactics to course-correct than it is to overhaul your strategy, so make sure your strategic planning is thorough. Tactics can change based on the success of your strategy. Strategies CAN change to adapt to new internal or external factors in an organization, but these changes shouldn’t be made lightly. For example, if your marketing strategy is to improve your influence and performance in social media, then your tactics might be to determine the best channels for your business and the most effective messages for your audiences. It’s a long-term vision, whereas tactics are short-term actions. Strategy is based on extensive research, planning, and internal reflection.Here are a few examples of how strategy and tactics interact that will help you differentiate between the two terms: Overall, the rule of thumb for understanding the difference between strategy and tactics is, “Think strategically, act tactically.” The company can clearly measure the success of the tactic by comparing their costs before and after the analysis. It has a finite timeline during which specific activities will be completed and their impacts measured.Ī tactic for the furniture company would be to analyze manufacturing processes to minimize waste and inefficiencies, thereby decreasing cost and, by extension, prices for customers. What makes a good tactic?Ī good tactic has a clear purpose that aids your strategy. Leadership teams will make decisions that prioritize lower costs. For example, if a furniture company has a goal to expand market share, its strategy could include offering the most competitive prices and always being in stock of common offerings. Your strategy is the foundation for all activities within the organization, and how it’s crafted will guide decision-making as your teams work to achieve those goals. When creating a good strategy, focus on the desired end result (the goal). Your strategic team should gather input from across the organization to ensure there’s alignment between the strategy and each department’s priorities. They’re also called “initiatives.”Ī solid strategy reflects the core values of the organization. They involve best practices, specific plans, resources, etc. Tactics are much more concrete and are often oriented toward smaller steps and a shorter time frame along the way.In other words, your strategy gives you the path you need toward achieving your organization’s mission. Strategy defines your long-term goals and how you’re planning to achieve them.(And they have been for many centuries!) Here’s how we define the tactical vs. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Tactics and strategy are not at odds with one another-they’re on the same team. Tracking Strategy & Tactics In ClearPointĪbout 2,500 years ago, Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu wrote “The Art of War.” In it, he said, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory.Track Progress Of Your Strategy & Tactics.Overall, the rule of thumb for understanding the difference between strategy and tactics is, “Think strategically, act tactically.”.Below, we’ll expound on strategy vs tactics, the differences and similarities between the two, and explain how you can track the progress of each. In short, strategic planning is used to set destination and how you are going to get there, and tactical planning outlines the specific actions you are going to take along the way. There are quite a few differences between strategy and tactical planning. Strategy describes the destination and how you are going to get there, and tactics describe the specific actions you are going to take along the way. So, we’re here to set the record straight on the difference between tactics and strategy. These are common terms and are thrown around regularly in articles online and in the office-and are often confused. You’ve probably heard people in your company argue about both strategy and tactics when they're talking about strategy implementation.
