What “Be More Strategic” Often Actually Means

In performance conversations, “be more strategic” is one of the most frequently used pieces of feedback. It is also one of the least defined or understood.

When a leader is struggling with this feedback, the response often becomes superficial rather than structural. The word strategy shows up more often in their language, even as the underlying thinking pattern stays the same.

If they knew how to be more strategic, they likely would have. Instead, what becomes clear is that the feedback itself is unclear, and not helping the leader translate what this means in practice.

In practice, strategic thinking tends to show up differently. It is less about using the language of strategy and more about shifting vantage points, sometimes multiple times, while evaluating a situation or challenge.

Leaders operating this way often move across several lenses at once.

They might consider internal team dynamics while also assessing external market signals.

They work within constraints while still exploring what new approaches might be possible.

Business tradeoffs and technological realities are held in view at the same time.

The visible change is not complexity for its own sake. It is the ability to see a decision from more than one angle before committing to a direction. It tends to emerge when multiple vantage points are considered together, and the leader can move between them with some ease.

Part of becoming more strategic is building the capacity to hold two perspectives while also looking a few steps ahead. The ability to “look around corners” often shows up here.

Strategy rarely operates in isolation. The isolated lane is usually where tactical work sits.

In some ways, it resembles plotting a graph. One axis alone gives you a line. Once a second axis is introduced, patterns begin to appear.

Strategic thinking often emerges in that second dimension.