There’s no such thing as a business without a strategy

Because strategy centers on making choices, every business has a strategy. Here are seven common but ineffective strategies — and how you should make choices instead.

I often talk about making choices by using your Core as a lens, so this seemed a fitting picture as lenses come in many shapes. I took this photo years ago on a walk.

“One of the biggest problems with strategy is that the business doesn’t have one.” 

It's common to read this phrase in articles that aim to identify why a business strategy isn't working.

And yet, every business has a strategy because strategy is about choices — and the team makes choices every day. The issue is that the choices they make do not advance the business.

Effective teams make deliberate choices so every action the business takes drives toward delivering the value the business exists to deliver. 

.

Seven common but ineffective business strategies

Whether you’re consciously aware of it or not, you make choices based on something. That something and your choices serve as your strategy. Here are seven common but ineffective strategies you may have inadvertently adopted:

1. You're reactive.

Whether it’s a new idea, a ragin…