{"id":1477,"date":"2025-06-13T13:14:55","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T13:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/?p=1477"},"modified":"2025-06-13T13:19:31","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T13:19:31","slug":"stop-planning-start-strategising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/","title":{"rendered":"Planning Feels Safe. Strategy Wins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Most \u201cstrategic plans\u201d aren\u2019t strategy. They\u2019re just plans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In business, we treat planning as if it&#8217;s some sacred ritual. I\u2019ve seen it firsthand in commercial teams of international government departments\u2014those rooms filled with whiteboards, dashboards, and KPIs. We\u2019d map out the year ahead in impressive detail: market visits, stakeholder engagements, sector priorities, and quarterly goals. Everyone felt productive. There was structure. There was clarity. There was action. But underneath all that order, I often wondered\u2014were we actually making<strong> strategic choices<\/strong> <strong>or just planning well<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But here\u2019s the uncomfortable truth:<br><strong>Most of us aren\u2019t playing to win.<\/strong><br>They\u2019re just <strong>planning to play.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And we need to talk about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Key Points Discussed<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#Strategy_%E2%89%A0_Planning\" >Strategy \u2260 Planning<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#What_Strategy_Sounds_Like\" >What Strategy Sounds Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#Case_Study_1_Southwest_Airlines\" >Case Study 1: Southwest Airlines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#Case_Study_2_IndiGo_Airlines\" >Case Study 2: IndiGo Airlines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#Case_study_2_Tanishq_by_Titan\" >Case study 2: Tanishq (by Titan)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#Why_Strategy_Makes_You_Nervous_and_Thats_Good\" >Why Strategy Makes You Nervous (and That\u2019s Good)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#A_One-Page_Strategy_That_Wins\" >A One-Page Strategy That Wins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#Playing_to_Participate_vs_Playing_to_Win\" >Playing to Participate vs. Playing to Win<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#Final_Thought\" >Final Thought<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/stop-planning-start-strategising\/#%F0%9F%93%9A_Resources_Further_Reading\" >\ud83d\udcda Resources &amp; Further Reading<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Strategy_%E2%89%A0_Planning\"><\/span>Strategy \u2260 Planning<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A plan is a list of things you\u2019re going to do. That\u2019s it.<br>A strategy is a theory about how you\u2019ll win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cA strategy is an integrative set of choices that positions you on a playing field of your choice in a way that you win.\u201d<br>\u2013 Roger Martin, <em>Playing to Win<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Most \u201cstrategic plans\u201d are just bundles of departmental goals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cWe\u2019ll launch an AI-based product.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWe\u2019ll open five new stores.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWe\u2019ll invest in employee upskilling.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These are fine goals. But they\u2019re <strong>not<\/strong> strategy.<br>They don\u2019t answer <em>why<\/em> these actions matter, <em>how<\/em> they fit together, or <em>what victory looks like<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Strategy_Sounds_Like\"><\/span>What Strategy Sounds Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Good strategy is bold. It\u2019s a bet. A coherent one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>\u201cThis is where we choose to play.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cThis is how we\u2019ll be better than anyone else.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cThese are the capabilities we need.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And then it follows up with: <em>\u201cIf we\u2019re right, we win.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Planning feels better because it\u2019s about things we can control\u2014budgets, hiring, marketing campaigns. But strategy deals with <strong>outcomes we don\u2019t control<\/strong>: how markets shift, what customers prefer, and how competitors move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that\u2019s what makes it hard.<br>And powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Case_Study_1_Southwest_Airlines\"><\/span>Case Study 1: Southwest Airlines<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When U.S. airlines were planning routes, tweaking seating classes, and negotiating airport slots, <strong>Southwest Airlines<\/strong> was strategising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their target wasn\u2019t other airlines. It was <strong>Greyhound<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They chose to compete with buses\u2014offering a faster, friendlier alternative for short-distance, budget travellers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their strategy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fly <strong>point-to-point<\/strong>, not hub-and-spoke<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use <strong>only one aircraft type<\/strong> (737s) to cut maintenance and training costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Skip meals and extras\u2014<strong>short flights only<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book <strong>directly<\/strong>, not through agencies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>They didn\u2019t aim to participate. They aimed to win in a specific game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>As Roger Martin writes in <em>Playing to Win<\/em> (Harvard Business Review Press, 2013), \u201cSouthwest didn\u2019t want a bigger slice of the existing airline pie. They made a new pie.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, they carry more passenger seat miles than any other U.S. airline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udfe2 <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/product\/playing-to-win-how-strategy-really-works\/10373-HBK-ENG\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Case_Study_2_IndiGo_Airlines\"><\/span>Case Study 2: <strong>IndiGo Airlines<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Back home, we saw a similar playbook from <strong>IndiGo Airlines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While rivals competed with frills\u2014meals, lounges, loyalty schemes\u2014IndiGo doubled down on <strong>simplicity and speed<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One aircraft type (Airbus A320) for consistency<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A no-nonsense, on-time reputation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focused on <strong>Tier-1 and Tier-2 domestic travelers<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>IndiGo wasn\u2019t trying to beat Jet Airways or Kingfisher at their own game.<br>They redefined the game: <strong>become the Uber of Indian skies\u2014on time, every time.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And it worked. As of 2023, IndiGo controls <strong>55%+ of the Indian domestic aviation market<\/strong> and remains profitable where others collapsed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udfe2 <a>Business Standard<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Case_study_2_Tanishq_by_Titan\"><\/span>Case study 2: <strong>Tanishq (by Titan)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s shift from skies to gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tanishq<\/strong>, the jewellery arm of Titan, entered one of the most emotionally charged and informally governed markets in India\u2014jewellery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The challenge?<br>Convince buyers who trusted their local jeweller for decades to buy from a brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tanishq didn\u2019t just open stores. It crafted a <strong>new emotional positioning<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Purity certifications<\/strong> to tackle trust deficits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Buyback guarantees<\/strong> for peace of mind<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marketing that celebrated modern Indian women\u2014not just brides<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>They weren\u2019t just selling gold. They were selling <strong>confidence<\/strong>.<br>And they chose to play in <strong>Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns<\/strong>, where brand penetration was low\u2014but aspiration was rising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Tanishq is worth over \u20b930,000 crore and has transformed how Indians think about branded jewellery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udfe2 <a>Economic Times<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Strategy_Makes_You_Nervous_and_Thats_Good\"><\/span>Why Strategy Makes You Nervous (and That\u2019s Good)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Planning feels good because it&#8217;s neat. You can check things off.<br>Strategy feels messy\u2014because it\u2019s uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that\u2019s <strong>how you know it\u2019s real<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Great strategy involves angst. You&#8217;re betting on customer behaviour, competitor responses, macro shifts\u2014all things beyond your control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that&#8217;s okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t be certain. But you can be <em>clear<\/em>.\u201d<br>\u2013 (Something I\u2019d say if I were Simon Sinek)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_One-Page_Strategy_That_Wins\"><\/span>A One-Page Strategy That Wins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I remember the Trade Network Meetings during my time with the Dutch embassy, where each department had to prepare a two-page strategy and planning document. They were simple, focused, and surprisingly clear. That exercise stuck with me. It showed me that good strategy doesn\u2019t need to be complex to be powerful. In fact, the clearer it is, the more useful it becomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking a cue from that process, I\u2019ve come to believe i<strong>f you can\u2019t write your strategy on one page, it might not be a strategy yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Where will we play?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>How will we win?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What capabilities do we need?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What systems will support us?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What must be true for this to work?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Then go out. Act. Observe. Tweak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because strategy isn\u2019t a verdict. It\u2019s a journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Playing_to_Participate_vs_Playing_to_Win\"><\/span>Playing to Participate vs. Playing to Win<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the big reveal:<br>Most companies are <strong>playing not to lose<\/strong>.<br>Only a few are <strong>playing to win<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And while most are busy crafting neat Gantt charts, someone else is out there building a theory of the future\u2014and placing a smart, strategic bet on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thought\"><\/span>Final Thought<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Planning will get you organised.<br>Strategy will get you <strong>somewhere worth going<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So next time someone hands you a \u201cstrategic plan\u201d, ask them this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWhere are we playing?\u201d<br>\u201cHow are we going to win?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>If they can\u2019t answer clearly, they aren\u2019t strategising. They\u2019re just planning to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you?<br>You\u2019re here to <strong>play to win<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%93%9A_Resources_Further_Reading\"><\/span>\ud83d\udcda Resources &amp; Further Reading<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Roger Martin &amp; A.G. Lafley, <em>Playing to Win<\/em> (Harvard Business Review Press) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Richard Rumelt, <em>Good Strategy Bad Strategy<\/em> (Crown Publishing)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cThe Big Lie of Strategic Planning\u201d \u2013 <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2014\/01\/the-big-lie-of-strategic-planning\">HBR Article<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cHow IndiGo Became the Market Leader\u201d \u2013 <a>Business Standard<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cHow Tanishq Rewrote India\u2019s Jewellery Story\u201d \u2013 <a>Economic Times<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most \u201cstrategic plans\u201d aren\u2019t strategy. They\u2019re just plans. In business, we treat planning as if it&#8217;s some sacred ritual. I\u2019ve seen it firsthand in commercial teams of international government departments\u2014those rooms filled with whiteboards, dashboards, and KPIs. We\u2019d map out the year ahead in impressive detail: market visits, stakeholder engagements, sector priorities, and quarterly goals. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,7],"tags":[120,121,42,119,118,117],"class_list":["post-1477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-micro-lessons","category-personal","tag-case-studies-in-strategy","tag-dutch-embassy-experience","tag-economic-diplomacy","tag-government-trade-departments","tag-leadership-thinking","tag-strategic-planning"],"views":251,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1477"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1487,"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1477\/revisions\/1487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightkraft.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}