Think strategy is just for executives? Or that planning kills creativity?
It’s time to bust some of the most persistent myths about strategy - and replace them with what actually works.
Despite the central role business strategy plays in organizational success, many teams still operate under outdated assumptions. These myths quietly undermine execution, alignment, and results.
Let’s clear them up.
Myth 1: Strategy Is Only for Executives
Reality: Strategy succeeds when people at all levels understand it and can act on it. Execution happens far from the boardroom.
Myth 2: Strategy Is Just a Plan
Reality: A plan is only the starting point. Strategy is a living discipline that includes decision-making, execution, and adaptation over time.
Myth 3: Strategy Is Once Every Few Years
Reality: Strategy is not a single event. It’s an ongoing discipline throughout the year that requires regular review, learning, and adjustment as conditions change.
Myth 4: Vision is the Strategy
Reality: Vision sets direction, but strategy defines how you win - through choices about market positioning, trade-offs, and execution.
Myth 5: Competitive Analysis Is a One-Time Exercise
Reality: Markets evolve constantly. Ongoing competitive analysis helps organizations stay relevant and avoid strategic blind spots.
Myth 6: Strategy Is About Predicting the Future
Reality: Strategy isn’t prediction - it’s preparation. Strong teams explore uncertainty through foresight and build options rather than betting on a single forecast.
Myth 7: Strategy Is Too Complex for Most Teams
Reality: Good strategy is meant to be understood and used. When it’s overly complex, it’s usually a design problem - not a people problem.
Myth 8: Strategy Is Too Abstract to Measure
Reality: Effective strategy links goals to outcomes. Progress, alignment, and impact can be tracked when the right measures are in place.
Myth 9: Once Approved, Strategy Is Set
Reality: The best strategies evolve. Regular review ensures relevance as conditions change.
Myth 10: Strategy Is Someone Else’s Job
Reality: Strategy is everyone’s responsibility. Organizations perform better when strategic thinking is broadly shared - not centralized.
What Actually Works
Organizations that succeed treat strategy as a capability, not an event. They invest in shared frameworks, practical tools, and ongoing skill development - so strategy informs everyday decisions, not just annual planning cycles.
At LBL Strategies, we help teams move beyond myths and build real strategic expertise through holistic, practical training:
- Mastering Foresight: Scenario-Based Planning
https://www.lblstrategies.com/scenario-based-planning/
Learn how to explore uncertainty and design strategies that hold up across multiple futures. - Mastering Strategy: Strategic Management Performance System (SMPS)
https://www.lblstrategies.com/training-and-certification/strategic-management-performance-system/
Build an end-to-end system that connects planning, execution, and performance. - Strategic Thinking Professional Development
https://www.lblstrategies.com/training-and-certification/strategic-thinking-professional-development/
Equip leaders and teams to think strategically—every day.
Strategy isn’t mysterious.
But believing the myths can make it ineffective.
Ready to move past the misconceptions and build strategy that actually works? Explore LBL’s programs and start strengthening your strategic capability today.