What’s the difference between strategy and tactics?

Too many organisations do not understand the difference between strategy and tactics. In addition to this, they’re also unsure how they can help you achieve your objective.

Objectives set the destination, strategy explains how you will get there, and tactics provide the detail of each step. A good objective, and even more importantly a good strategy, should be simple enough that it can be effectively communicated, understood, and ultimately achieve ‘buy in’ from those within the organisation.

For example, a business that offers networking might have the objective of being the networking organisation of choice for small and medium sized businesses.

What does this mean?

Their strategy might be to build a sustainable national network of vibrant and highly regarded groups…

Their tactics would be the details of who runs the groups, where they

are, how they are promoted, etc.

Having a clear strategy means there is a framework against which to check if the tactics – the detail – really delivers and helps you to achieve your objectives. 

Chew on this:

Are your objectives, strategy, and tactics clearly defined and aligned with one another?