Comments on: Objectives. Strategy. Tactics. (In that order.)

By: Sara Holoubek

Sara Holoubek — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:25:05 +0000

All very good points. Perhaps these are the golden rules for all new CEOs:
-A few years in the military
-Sun Tzu becomes required reading
-Use of any variation on the word “strategy” only allowed after the required reading
-Tactics are delegated
Of course, if all clients adhered to the above, perhaps we would be out of jobs

By: Marianna Hayes

Marianna Hayes — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 15:47:49 +0000

Wow! Well put. My worst nightmare is the client that lists the tactics first – let’s do billboards and direct mail and cable TV. I want to scream back (and sometimes do!) – “and who cares about the message?” Media must match the message – and you can’t know the message until you develop the project objectives, then the strategy that will point you to your tactics.

By: CK

CK — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:41:58 +0000

Actually you’re correct, many don’t know the difference…and in an age where everything “strategic” is hip & cool, the word strategy is bounced around too much. Everything is a darn strategic initiative .
Another 3 areas where there’s confusion: segmentation, targeting and positioning. Too many want to position from inside the boardroom bubble rather than outside in the market.
Guess these lessons serve to keep the fundamentals “fresh”.

By: gianandrea facchini

gianandrea facchini — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:36:54 +0000

sara, i do not know if sun tzu is a text book at university, but it should. not only because it teaches about major principles such as strategy, tacticts, etc. but because it teaches a rare good in the market today: not to be selfish.

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 13:19:20 +0000

Sara,
I could not agree more. In my experience much of the problem lies in the fact that most don’t seem to know the differences between goal, objective, strategy and tactic. As for me, 8 years in the military ensured that I not only learned the differences, I lived them.
Lewis