Strategy and tactics must work together to achieve business goals

Jeriah Owyang, Industry analyst with the Altimeter Group, posted an article defining strategy and tactics by their associated actions. Below is my interpretation for aviation marketers:

Aviation manufacturers need strategic thinking and tactical execution to move the business forward. If you have strategy without tactics, then the big idea is never implemented. If you implement tactics without a strategy, you end up herding cats.

Breaking down strategy vs. tactics:

Purpose:       

• Strategy – To identify clear goals that advance the overall business and organize resources.
• Tactics – To utilize specific resources to achieve sub-goals that support the defined mission.

Roles:            

• Strategy – Individuals who influence resources in the organization. They understand how a set of tactics works together to achieve goals.
• Tactics – Specific experts that maneuver limited resources into actions to achieve a set of goals.

Accountability

• Strategy – Held accountable for overall health of the organization.
• Tactics – Held accountable for specific resources assigned.

Scope

• Strategy – All the resources within the organizations, as well as broader market conditions including competitors, customers, and economy.
• Tactics – A subset of resources used in a plan or process. Tactics are often specific using limited resources to achieve broader goals.

Duration

• Strategy – Long term, changes infrequently.
• Tactics – Shorter term, flexible to specific market conditions.

Methods

• Strategy – Uses experience, research, analysis, thinking, then communication.
• Tactics – Uses experiences, best practices, plans, processes, and teams.

Outputs

• Strategy – Produces clear organizational goals, plans, and key performance measurements.
• Tactics – Produces clear deliverables and outputs using people, tools, and time.

Below are two examples of how strategic goals can be communicated with clear tactical elements:

• Strategy: Be the market share leader in terms of sales in the OEM-market segment of the avionics industry.
• Tactics: Offer advanced technology components that simplify cockpit management with life of the platform warranty.

• Strategy: Maneuver your brand into top two consideration set of aircraft entertainment systems with MRO decision makers.
• Tactics: Implement a social marketing campaign that leverages existing customer relationships and encourages them to conduct word-of-mouth with their peers using social platforms.

3 ways to use strategy and tactics to achieve business goals

1. Educate your colleagues on the differences between terms and how they vary.
2. Ensure that all tactics align with business strategy, and all strategies are supported by tactical execution.
3. Reinforce through communication how strategy and tactics work together, advancing and achieving business goals through better utilization of time and resources.

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