Hope is not a strategy!

War metaphors abound in business. “Hope is not a strategy” is a war metaphor that applies at multiple scales: to countries, businesses and careers. The trick is in developing a good strategy and be willing to adapt when the facts on the ground change. But… what is strategy?

Richard Rumelt, a leading strategist and professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management, defines strategy as a "coherent action backed by an argument, an effective mixture of thought and action.” He emphasises that a strategy is not simply a goal or a plan, but rather a framework that guides decision-making and action towards achieving a specific objective. It involves identifying the critical challenges and opportunities facing us and developing a unique approach to addressing them.

Rumelt also stresses the importance of having a clear and compelling argument to support a strategy. This means articulating a logical and persuasive rationale for why a particular approach is likely to be successful, based on a deep understanding of one’s strengths, weaknesses and external environment.

Parts of hope

The kernel of a good strategy consists of three parts, a diagnosis that defines or explains the nature of the challenge, a guiding policy for addressing the challenge and a set of coherent actions that are designed to carry out the guiding policy. So how does one go about organising these building blocks of a career strategy then?

Diagnose the situation: Before developing a career strategy, it's crucial to first understand your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis). Reflect on your skills, passions, and areas that need improvement. Consider the state of the job market and how your current career aligns with your long-term goals.

Develop a guiding policy: A guiding policy is a coherent approach or method that helps you navigate through various career-related decisions. It should be based on your diagnosis and serve as a compass to direct your actions. For example, if you want to transition from a technical role to a managerial one, your guiding policy might be to develop leadership and communication skills.

Coherent actions: Once you have a guiding policy in place, identify specific, coherent actions that support your policy and contribute to achieving your career goals. These actions should be well-coordinated, mutually reinforcing, and focused on delivering results. “I always believed that apart from the required/necessary education, you need - passion, upskilling, building networks and a little bit of luck to advance your career!”, says consultant Prahaladh Hariharan, adding, “If you have a Plan A, you must also have a Plan B, C & D”.

Avoid bad strategy: A bad strategy can be characterized by a lack of clear goals, misguided policies, or incoherent actions. To ensure your career strategy is effective, avoid these pitfalls. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Base your guiding policy on a thorough diagnosis and be realistic about your abilities and the opportunities available to you.

Adapt and learn: Career success often involves adapting to changes in the job market, learning from experiences, and continuously refining your strategy. Mona Sanders, an executive coach in Washington, D.C. who specializes in working with people who are undergoing major leadership and life transitions says, “Hold your strategy lightly and never stop learning; be open to changing your mind and to unexpected opportunities that present themselves.

The world is changing so fast and disrupting entire industries — that is surfacing professional opportunities you might never have considered before but that might be the perfect fit for you.” And, what matters to us tends to change over time. Pay attention to those changes and trust what you are learning about yourself to guide you in the choices you make.

What not to do

One needs to know what not to do as well. So, what falls into the category of bad strategies?

Lacking clear goals or direction: This strategy involves going with the flow and not having a clear objective or direction in your career. One senior executive at a global manufacturing company said, “At one point I felt I was just drifting, feeling unfulfilled, and lacking a sense of purpose.” To pre-empt this, it is important to have a clear goal and vision of what you want to achieve in your career and take action accordingly.

Focusing on weaknesses: Focusing solely on your weaknesses and trying to improve them at the expense of your strengths is not a good strategy. While it is important to work on areas where you can improve, it is equally important to leverage your strengths and build on them to achieve success.

Copying others blindly: Trying to emulate the success of others without understanding the context or the underlying reasons for their success can lead to failure. It is important to develop a unique approach that is aligned with your skills, interests, and values.

Ignoring changing trends and technologies: Refusing to adapt to changing trends and technologies can lead to obsolescence and irrelevance. It is important to keep up with industry trends and developments and develop skills that are in demand.

Overly ambitious goals without a clear plan: Setting overly ambitious goals without a clear plan of how to achieve them can lead to frustration and disappointment. It is important to set achievable goals and develop a clear plan of action to achieve them.

In conclusion, let's treat hope like the extra dollop of whipped cream on our strategic planning sundae: a delightful bonus, but not the main ingredient. After all, you wouldn't eat a bowl of whipped cream and call it dessert, right?

Happy strategising, and may the odds be in your favour as long as you have a solid plan!

(The author is a global social entrepreneur whose career involves nurturing communities)