Stop It! Tactic-Only Thinking Is Sinking Your Strategy

Stop It! Tactic-Only Thinking Is Sinking Your Strategy

Strategic planning is the best opportunity an AE firm has to prepare for the future. But far too often, strategy teams disappear into the tactical woods, hunker down by a campfire, and spin yarns about day-to-day issues—blissfully unaware of the big picture that is passing right under their noses.

Let’s be clear—tactics are vital, but only when they serve a purpose within a strategic context. When teams fail to make the distinction between strategy and tactics, they risk losing direction. And at a time when AE firms face mounting challenges from seemingly every direction, the stakes for staying strategic have never been higher.

Strategy and tactics are a package deal—but they are distinct

Think of strategic planning as setting the destination for a cross-country road trip—deciding which cities to visit, identifying must-see landmarks, and mapping out the best route to get there. Tactics, on the other hand, are the specifics of how you’ll navigate each leg of the journey—gas stops, rest breaks, and finding a hotel each night.

For AE firms, strategy is about envisioning a desired future state—say, being known as the go-to sustainable design firm in five major cities by 2030. Tactics involve the steps to make that vision a reality—building partnerships with environmentally conscious clients, hiring LEED-certified experts, or implementing specific carbon-reduction targets in projects. Strategy sets the direction. Tactics manage the execution.

However, strategic planning teams often struggle to maintain this distinction. A strategic goal—such as “becoming a market leader in sustainable infrastructure solutions”—can quickly devolve into tactical discussions about employee certification programs, marketing materials, or which local municipality to bid on next. The session shifts from visionary thinking to an all-too-familiar to-do list.

“What’s the big deal? We need to figure out how to get stuff done!”…(If I had a nickel…) 

Ok, get what done? That’s the point. You need expectations before you can take meaningful strides as an organization. By now, you are no doubt intimately familiar with the laundry list of industry challenges—talent shortages and the associated succession issues, technology disruption, industry consolidation, changing client expectations—and the list goes on. If strategic planning sessions fall into tactical quagmires (i.e., “we need to figure out how to get stuff done”), you risk being unprepared for these challenges. Instead of steering your company toward a resilient future, you ultimately end up scrambling to put out fires when (not if) these industry shifts intensify.

Failing to think strategically is much more than just a missed opportunity—it’s a genuine threat to a firm’s longevity. That’s the big deal.

Examples of strategy gone tactical (fictionalized but true-to-life)

Example 1: The green design firm that got mired in certification details

Let’s say Northeast EcoBuild Inc., a fictional 100-person sustainable design firm, gathers to lay out a five-year strategic plan. Their goal is clear: be the first choice for sustainable design in the Northeast by 2030. But within the first hour, the conversation swerves into discussing LEED certification requirements, organizing green construction training for junior staff, and reworking their “sustainable project” checklist. Instead of mapping the path to becoming a sustainable design leader, they spend hours on granular operational details, missing the bigger picture of how to position themselves uniquely in the market. Ultimately, they leave the session with a list of tactical to-dos but no clear sense of the long-term vision they were trying to fulfill.

Example 2: The infrastructure firm that got stuck on staffing

Another fictional firm, MetroConnect, wants to expand from local transit work into larger national rail projects. The CEO opens the planning meeting by urging everyone to “think big.” But almost immediately, team members jump to logistics—who’ll need to be hired, which certifications are required, and how many project managers each job will need. Two hours in, they’re debating onboarding times and salary bands, a far cry from any strategic discussion about breaking into national markets, identifying potential partners, or assessing competition.

Example 3: The architectural firm that drowned in marketing materials

Finally, consider United UrbanWorks, a fictional 50-person architecture firm that recently declared its ambition to become an “urban revitalization leader.” But as the strategy session unfolds, attention turns to overhauling their website, revamping their logo, and creating “brand-aligned” pitch decks. While branding is certainly important, they’ve lost sight of the core objective: positioning themselves to influence urban spaces and collaborating with city officials and nonprofits. Without that focus, United UrbanWorks ends up rebranding the same old service without making the strategic leap they’d envisioned.

Five practical tips for staying strategic

Avoiding tactical traps requires discipline. Here’s how to keep your team strategically focused during planning sessions:

1. Separate strategy sessions from tactical planning

Schedule separate meetings for tactical planning. Use initial sessions exclusively for strategic discussions, clearly framing the conversation around big-picture goals, future challenges, and market positioning. For instance, if the goal is to “be a leader in sustainable urban design,” avoid discussions on training programs or software until you’ve clarified the vision.

2. Use guiding questions to refocus the discussion

When the conversation veers tactical, ask guiding questions to pull the team back on course. Try questions such as:

• “What’s the big-picture outcome we’re trying to achieve?”
• “How will this make us stand out in the market in five years?”
• “If we achieve this goal, what will be different about our firm?”

3. Create an idea bank

When people inevitably bring up tactical items, store them in an “idea bank” using a whiteboard or digital notes to capture these points without derailing the strategic conversation. Assure the team that these items won’t be forgotten—they’ll just be addressed later, once the strategic goals are clear.

4. Set clear strategic objectives before diving into action items

Before moving to the tactical phase, set three to five major strategic objectives that are specific but high-level enough to inspire action across the organization. For instance, rather than “increase staff certifications,” go for “become the top sustainable infrastructure firm in our region.” Make sure these objectives tie into your firm’s long-term goals and market opportunities.

5. Appoint a “strategy keeper”

Assign someone in the room (or an external resource) to play the role of “strategy keeper.” This person’s job is to steer the conversation back to strategy whenever it drifts into tactics. They can use simple prompts such as, “Is this a strategic move or an implementation detail?” or “How does this relate to our long-term goal?”

Remember, the goal of strategic planning isn’t just to tackle today’s problems. It’s to chart a path toward tomorrow’s opportunities. And for that, you need to linger longer on thinking big and keep your team’s focus firmly fixed on the horizon.

To connect with Mark Goodale about strategic planning, call 508.254.3914 or email [email protected].