Strategy That Makes Sense

Over the years, I’ve stepped into strategy roles at a range of agencies and brands—and across them all, I’ve noticed a common thread: teams often carry a little baggage when it comes to working with strategists.

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• “We’re not looking for someone who sits in a corner and thinks for three months.”
• “A bunch of theoretical thinking that lacks purpose doesn’t help us.”
• “We don’t need someone who drops in a few insights and disappears.”

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That kind of feedback has never bothered me—in fact, I find it motivating. Because I agree. Strategy should never be abstract for the sake of it, disconnected from the work, or done in isolation. I’ve built my approach around doing the opposite. As I reflect on what I believe strategy should be, here are six principles I keep coming back to:

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1. The simplest solution is almost always the right one.
If it takes 40 slides to explain it, we’ve already lost. Strategy should create clarity, not confusion. Occam was onto something—the cleanest path is usually the strongest. Simple isn’t simplistic—it’s sharp. It’s confident. When a strategy clicks, people feel it before they analyze it.

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2. Strategic thinking only matters if it leads to action.
A smart insight that sits on a shelf isn’t a strategy—it’s trivia. The best strategic work moves people: to act, to share, to shift. If it’s not usable, it’s not useful.

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3. Time spent thinking has diminishing returns.
Strategy takes thought—but overthinking can be its own kind of avoidance. More time doesn’t always mean better ideas. The best insights often show up early and feel instantly true. Great strategists know when to trust their gut, stop polishing, and move.

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4. Strategic collaboration is a rhythm.
It doesn’t follow a schedule or live in a calendar invite. The best work gets more strategic when strategic thinking happens throughout the process—organically, in motion, and in conversation.

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5. Ideas that spread do so because they’re inherently social.
Social media doesn’t just reflect culture—it shapes it. It should inform every brief and every insight. Strategy should push creative toward ideas that feel shareable by nature—not by force. If it makes someone say, “Did you see this?”, strategy did its job.

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6. Strategy is a mindset, not a department.
You don’t need “strategist” in your title to think strategically. The best ideas often come from people who ask sharp questions or reframe the problem. Strategy isn’t a step—it’s a way of seeing the work. And it’s better when everyone’s in on it.

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Strategy isn’t precious. It’s just a way of thinking clearly, spotting what matters, and helping others act on it. The more we treat it like part of the work—not a layer on top—the better the work gets.

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