The Demand

Before you call your next marketing push or staffing fix a 'strategy,' ask if it's actually just an operational function — a how, not a what. Real strategy is what you say no to. Name one thing you're going to stop doing in order to be more of what you actually are.

The Work

List what you currently call your "strategy":
Check each item — is it a "how" (an operational function) or a "what" (a genuine identity claim)?
What is your business actually trying to become — the strategic question underneath all the operational activity?
Real strategy is what you say no to. Name one thing you will stop doing in order to be more of what you actually are: