We’ve been taught that strategy answers “what” and execution answers “how.”
But I think we’ve got it backwards.
Strategy isn’t about what you’ll do. It’s about how you’ll win.
The Gap We Create
When we treat strategy as the “what,” we end up with aspirations dressed up as plans:
- “We’ll be the market leader.”
- “We’ll deliver exceptional customer service.”
- “We’ll drive innovation.”
These sound strategic.
But they’re not.
They’re goals without the mechanism.
The real question strategy must answer:
How will we achieve this differently or better than the alternatives?
The Nested Nature of How
Once we accept that strategy is a “how,” everything else clicks into place.
Think of it as layers. Each one answers “how?” to the layer above it.
Why = Mission. The reason we exist. The spark.
What = Goals. The milestones that tell us we’re on track.
How (Strategy) = The mechanism of competitive advantage. How we’ll win differently.
How (Tactics) = The operational moves that bring the strategy to life.
How (Tasks) = The daily actions that execute the tactics.
Strategy sits at that critical first layer of “how”.
This is where differentiation happens.
It’s the bridge between aspiration and action.
Between what we want and how we’ll get there.
The layers below it?
Those are still “how,” but they’re about execution, not advantage.
Coffee Shop Example
Let’s say you’re opening a coffee shop. Here’s what each layer might look like:
Why: Make mornings better for our community.
What: Achieve $500K revenue and 200 regular customers by year-end.
How (Strategy): Win through location and relationship depth. Not competing on quality or price. Instead compete on convenience and connection.
How (Tactics): Secure the only storefront near the primary office building in town. Implement a name-learning system for staff. Create a loyalty program that rewards daily visits.
How (Tasks): Manager memorizes five new names per shift. Baristas receive training on conversation starters. Deploy punch card system by March 1.
Notice what happens without the strategic “how”? You might jump from “get to $500K” straight to “launch a loyalty program.” But why that loyalty program? How does it create an advantage a competitor can’t easily copy?
Strategy is the answer. It’s not just how you’ll execute. It’s how you’ll win differently.
A Career Example
This framework works for personal strategy too.
Let’s say you’re a marketing professional looking to advance:
Why: Build a career that lets me solve complex problems while maintaining flexibility.
What: Land a director-level role with remote flexibility within 18 months.
How (Strategy): Position as the go-to strategist who bridges data and creativity. Not competing on years of experience or technical depth. Instead competing on unique perspective and cross-functional thinking.
How (Tactics): Publish thought leadership on the intersection of analytics and storytelling. Build relationships with three companies known for valuing strategic thinkers. Showcase a portfolio work that demonstrates both sides of the brain.
How (Tasks): Write one LinkedIn post per week sharing strategic insights. Schedule two coffee chats monthly with leaders at target companies. Create case study highlighting a project where data informed creative decisions.
Without the strategic “how,” you might update your resume and apply to jobs. But what makes you different from the hundred other applicants? Strategy is your answer.
Why We Skip It
Here’s the problem: Strategy is hard.
It requires choices.
Trade-offs.
Saying no to good ideas because they don’t fit the how.
So we skip past it.
We jump straight from goals to tactics.
From “what” to the operational “how.”
And we wonder why our plans feel generic.
Why competitors can easily copy what we do.
Why teams aren’t aligned.
It’s because we never answered the real question:
How will we win?
A Simple Test
If your competitor read your “strategy,” could they copy it tomorrow?
If yes, you probably haven’t done the strategic work yet.
Strategy isn’t just a plan.
It’s a differentiated plan.
It’s the how that creates your advantage.
Your Turn
Do you have a clear answer to “how will we win differently”?
Or have you been operating with goals disguised as strategy?
What would change if more time were spent on the strategic “how” over the operational “how”?