Do you really have a strategy? Check this out

A few weeks ago I got to the end of my workday feeling a little uneasy. I had clicked very few ticks on my to-do list in Notion, something that normally makes me nervous. It looked like I’d done very little.

But that same day, I had a long, focused conversation with a friend I consider one of my mentors. That exchange helped me draw some important conclusions about my business. I also had another conversation that gave me a new perspective on a challenge that’s been on my radar for months. Both were directly connected to my personal brand strategy. They helped me progress toward specific goals I have defined for myself in growing my presence in the executive personal brand consulting space.

When I paused and thought more calmly about the day behind me, I realised it had been far more productive than it looked. Especially that conversation with my mentor had led me to draw important conclusions about my strategic direction. In hindsight, it was probably more valuable than most of the tasks on my to-do list. And yet, a part of me still felt uneasy.

That’s when I remembered something Roger Martin says about strategy. He draws a sharp line between planning and strategy. Planning, he says, is about managing activities. It lives in the comfort zone. It gives us control and clarity about what we will do next. That is why it feels productive: we make a list, we take action, we tick boxes. But strategy is something else entirely.

Strategy is about making decisions. It is about choosing where to play and how to win. These are not questions you can answer with certainty. You move forward based on a hypothesis.

In my case, I made a strategic decision to operate in the space of personal branding. I chose to focus on a specific segment: executives, entrepreneurs, and high-end consultants. I also chose to concentrate my value in helping them define their brand strategy, not in managing their content or execution. That part is handled by a network of collaborators. These are positioning choices. And they define how I move, who I talk to, and what opportunities I pursue.

So when I had those two conversations, they were not random or reactive. They were deliberate steps that helped me move forward in the strategic direction I have chosen. And because the outcomes of that strategy rest on the hypothesis that I have chosen the right market and the right positioning, I cannot be completely certain I am doing the right thing. That is exactly where Roger Martin's insight resonates: strategy lives outside the comfort zone. It demands that we commit to decisions before we have full confirmation they are right.

When you operate from a clear strategy, you might not tick many boxes, but you move forward in ways that matter. The problem is that working with strategy often feels uncomfortable. In fact, if you are not feeling uneasy, chances are you are not making decisions that truly count.

Why this confusion matters

The discomfort of making real strategy (making decisions that set a clear direction and require you to renounce other options) is precisely why we often avoid it. Instead, we trick ourselves into thinking we are being strategic when we are merely being active. This is where many professionals get in trouble. They set a few goals and line up some actions. They want more visibility, better clients, or a board seat. So they start posting content, attending events, or refreshing their website.

Then they scroll through their feeds and see what others are doing. Someone has launched a podcast. Another is building a YouTube channel. AI services are trending. Suddenly, the to-do list gets longer, but despite all this movement, they remain stuck. The results don't match the energy invested.

Why? Because they are doing things, but not doing them strategically. They have a plan, but no strategy.

That leads to three common problems:

• Efforts that do not build on one another
• Confusing or incoherent brand signals across channels
• Time and energy spent without meaningful return

Two common mistakes

When personal branding lacks true strategy, it usually suffers from one of two confusions:

1. Mistaking objectives for strategy

Saying "I want to be invited to speak at three fintech conferences next year" is a goal. And even if you explain how you will achieve it, you are not strategising. Strategy is deciding if the fintech sector is the right one for you to serve, how you position yourself in that sector, how you differentiate from others, and how you create a unique value proposition that only you can deliver.

2. Mistaking tactics for strategy

Posting regularly, speaking at events, or building a personal website are tactics. If they are not part of a coherent logic that reinforces your positioning, they become random acts of self-promotion. Lots of noise, very little signal.

What strategic clarity gives you

True strategy in personal branding gives you:

• A mountain worth climbing: One that aligns with your long-term goals and values
• A roadmap: That helps you orient your actions, even when the terrain is unfamiliar
• A filter: To prioritise what matters and discard what does not
• A way to measure progress: That goes beyond metrics and focuses on perception, relationships, and opportunity
• Resilience and adaptability: You can respond to change without losing direction
• Brand coherence: Your actions, stories, and presence reinforce each other across platforms and time

Different approaches to strategy: learning from the masters

There may not be a single definition of strategy, but the best thinkers agree on one essential idea: strategy is about making clear, deliberate choices in a complex and uncertain world. In my own work, I often use different strategic frameworks as lenses. Each one helps me see a different angle, and together they allow me to approach the process with greater depth and coherence.

Kenichi Ohmae’s 3C model

Strategy emerges at the intersection of Customer, Company, and Competitor. For your personal brand, this means knowing who you serve, what you are uniquely good at, and how you stand apart from others competing for the same attention.

Michael Porter’s strategic positioning

Porter reminds us that the goal is not to be the best, but to be different in a way that your audience values. That requires making deliberate choices and, just as importantly, accepting the need to leave things out.

Richard Rumelt’s kernel of strategy

Rumelt’s model has three parts: a diagnosis of the challenge, a guiding policy, and a set of coherent actions. Without these three, you are reacting rather than leading. This is as relevant to your personal brand as it is to any company.

Henry Mintzberg’s emerging strategy

Mintzberg adds a valuable layer: not all strategy is pre-planned. Sometimes your personal brand evolves from what works. But for that evolution to lead somewhere meaningful, you still need a vision of success that acts as your north star.

The questions a strategy must answer

Strategic clarity in personal branding begins when you can answer:

• What’s the professional game you are playing?
• Who are you trying to serve?
• What change or value do you offer them?
• Why are you a unique opportunity for them to solve their problem?
• How will people recognise this, consistently and across contexts?

Until you can answer these questions with confidence, every new action risks pulling you away from your goal.

Before you climb, pause. Look up. Make sure it is your mountain.