Shaping strategy: finding your own approach

Strategy isn’t just for strategists

You’re sitting in a strategy meeting, surrounded by colleagues armed with spreadsheets, market analysis, and five-year projections. The conversation flows around data points and competitive positioning whilst you find yourself thinking about your team’s capabilities, customer feedback you heard last week, or how this strategy might actually work on the ground.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many senior leaders feel like they’re speaking a different language when it comes to strategy discussions. But what I’ve learnt from coaching executives is this: strategy isn’t just for the data-driven strategists in the room. Every leader brings something valuable to the strategic table – the key is understanding what you bring and how to leverage it effectively.

One of my clients recently shared his frustration: “I’m expected to contribute to strategy, but I’m not data-driven like everyone else seems to be. I feel like I’m failing at this part of my role.” What he didn’t realise was that his strength lay elsewhere – in understanding people, building relationships, and seeing the bigger picture beyond the numbers.

Your seat at the strategy table: making it count

As a senior leader, you have a unique vantage point that others in the strategy room might lack. You see how policies play out in practice, you understand your team’s strengths and limitations, and you hear directly from customers or stakeholders. This perspective is invaluable, even if it doesn’t come wrapped in charts and graphs.

The challenge many leaders face is feeling confident about their strategic contribution when it doesn’t fit the traditional mould. But effective strategy needs multiple perspectives, not just analytical ones. Your job isn’t to become someone else – it’s to understand how your natural leadership style can enhance strategic thinking.

Think about it this way: a strategy developed purely from data might look perfect on paper but fail spectacularly in implementation. A strategy that considers human dynamics, organisational culture, and practical constraints is far more likely to succeed.

Know your strategic contribution style

Every leader has a natural way of approaching strategy. Understanding yours helps you contribute more confidently and effectively. Here are four common strategic contribution styles I see amongst senior leaders:

The People Strategist You naturally think about how strategy affects people – your team, customers, stakeholders. You ask questions like: “How will this impact morale?” “What do our customers actually want?” “Do we have the right people to make this work?” Your strength lies in ensuring strategy remains human-centred and achievable.

The Systems Thinker You see connections and interdependencies. Whilst someone presents a marketing strategy, you’re thinking about how it affects operations, customer service, and supply chain. You help the team understand the ripple effects of strategic decisions.

The Reality Checker You ground strategy in practical experience. When ambitious targets are proposed, you ask the hard questions about feasibility. You bring a healthy scepticism that prevents strategy from becoming wishful thinking.

The Vision Translator You can see how a corporate strategy translates into departmental goals, team priorities, and individual contributions. Your strength is building bridges between strategic vision and practical execution.

Beyond the data: what else matters in strategy

Whilst data is important, some of the most crucial strategic insights come from sources that can’t be easily quantified:

Organisational culture and readiness for change – Will your people embrace this strategy or resist it? What cultural shifts need to happen first?

Customer sentiment and emerging needs – What are customers saying that surveys might not capture? What problems are they trying to solve?

Implementation realities – What operational constraints or opportunities exist that might affect strategy execution?

Team capabilities and potential – Where are your people strongest? What could they become with the right development?

If you naturally tune into these factors, you’re bringing strategic value.

From strategic discussions to team execution

One of your key advantages as a senior leader is that you’re not just contributing to strategy – you’re also responsible for making it happen through your team. This dual perspective is incredibly valuable in strategic discussions.

You can ask questions like:

• “How will we communicate this strategy in a way that energises rather than overwhelms our teams?”
• “What support will managers need to translate this strategy into daily operations?”
• “Where might we encounter resistance, and how can we address it proactively?”

This bridge between strategy and execution is where many organisations struggle. Your ability to think in both realms simultaneously makes you an invaluable strategic contributor.

The art of strategic influence: your unique approach

Strategic influence isn’t about having the loudest voice or the most complex analysis. It’s about consistently contributing insights that make the strategy stronger and more achievable.

Some practical ways to build your strategic influence:

Ask different questions. Whilst others focus on “what” and “how much,” you might ask “why,” “who,” and “what if.”

Share stories and examples. Bring strategic concepts to life with real experiences, customer interactions, or team observations.

Connect the dots. Help others see relationships and implications they might have missed.

Champion feasibility. Ensure that strategic ambitions are matched with realistic implementation plans.

Represent your stakeholders. Bring the voice of your team, customers, or partners into strategic discussions.

The goal isn’t to dominate strategic conversations but to ensure your unique perspective is heard and valued. When you contribute from your strengths rather than trying to compensate for perceived weaknesses, your strategic input becomes more authentic and impactful.

Remember, strategy development is a team sport. The most effective strategies emerge when different types of thinkers collaborate, each contributing their unique lens. Your job is to own your perspective and contribute it confidently, knowing that your view of the world adds value that pure data analysis simply can’t provide.

Your strategic contribution matters precisely because it’s different, not despite it. The question isn’t whether you belong at the strategy table – it’s how you can make your seat count.

Photo by Darina Belonogova