Introduction: Strategy Isn’t a Checklist
If your strategic plan reads like a glorified to-do list, you don’t have a strategy. You have a schedule. At Sandalia, we often see small business owners pouring energy into long action plans that cover every possible base—except the one that matters most: focus.
Inspired by Roger Martin’s work (and no, he’s not related to me), we take a hard-nosed approach to strategy. It’s not about doing more; it’s about choosing what not to do. Real strategy is about making tough, deliberate choices that clarify your path and differentiate you from your competitors.
The Core Idea: Strategy Is About Where to Play and How to Win
Roger Martin’s framework revolves around two deceptively simple questions:
- Where will you play?
- How will you win?
These aren’t academic. They’re existential. They force you to identify your most valuable customers, the unique advantage you bring, and the capabilities you need to win consistently. Answering them means saying no to tempting but distracting opportunities.
What This Looks Like in the Real World
At Sandalia, we see this all the time: a rural ag retailer wants to serve everyone from hobby farmers to large-scale producers. But by trying to be everything to everyone, they dilute their message, strain their team, and blur their offer.
When we ask, “Where will you play?” the real work begins. Maybe the answer is: “High-value cattle producers within a 150km radius who value personalised service.” Suddenly, the marketing changes. The service model sharpens. And the team knows exactly who they’re here to serve.
Client Snapshot: From Uncertainty to Clarity
One of our clients came to us with a team that was flat-out exhausted. There were plenty of activities happening—but no one could clearly say why, or where the business was heading. It was all noise, no direction.
We spent an entire day with them, rolling up our sleeves to uncover the real heartbeat of the business. We worked through their vision, values, and mission. It wasn’t fluffy. It was foundational. With that clarity, we then crafted a strategy grounded in real choices about where they would play and how they would win. Only then did we move into defining the actions required to execute it.
The change was immediate. The team now knows where they’re going, what they stand for, and how they will win. It’s actually really that simple.
The Pain and Power of Choosing
Making strategic choices feels risky because it means letting go. Letting go of customers who aren’t your fit. Letting go of products that aren’t core to your edge. But the alternative is worse: strategic drift, wasted energy, and team burnout.
This is where strategy earns its keep. Not in the boardroom whiteboard sessions, but in the courage it takes to say, “That’s not for us.” As Martin says, “Strategy is not about perfection. It is about making the best-possible choices and learning from them.”
From Strategy to Action: Yes, But Only After the Choices
Of course, execution matters. But strategy must come first. Otherwise, you end up with a flurry of well-meaning actions that lead nowhere in particular. Your actions should be a natural expression of your strategic choices—not a replacement for them.
Final Thought: Is Your Strategy Actually Strategy?
If your plan doesn’t require you to make any hard choices, it probably isn’t a strategy. And if your team can’t articulate where you’re playing and how you’re winning, the market won’t either.
If this sounds familiar, let’s talk strategy.
