by Richard Martin
Strategy is the set of actions undertaken by any entity that is striving to survive and thrive in the face of change, uncertainty, risk, and opposition.
There are two basic strategic postures: defence and offence. Defence consists in temporarily conceding the initiative to an opponent to buy time and reconstitute one’s forces.
Offence consists in seizing and maintaining the initiative to achieve one’s ends through:
- confrontation (i.e., direct action against antagonists to resolve a conflict or otherwise achieve one’s objectives);
- competition (indirect action against antagonists by letting a third party decide in a competitive arena); or
- cooperation (combining forces with other actors to achieve mutually compatible or synergistic interests and effects).
These four basic options–conceding, confronting, competing, and cooperating–constitute the building blocks of any strategy.
This is important, because it entails that there are always options when confronted by opposition, resistance, or obstacles of any kind. We can build a strategy that leverages our strengths while mitigating our vulnerabilities and that is not limited to confrontation or aggressive posturing.
So, before embarking on a strategic decision, you should always consider the four options with their potential benefits and costs, as well as their possible and probably consequences.
© 2017 Alcera Consulting Inc. This article may be used for non-commercial use with proper attribution.