If I had to boil strategy making down to its simplest.
Then I'd say strategy is part thinking, part storytelling.
It's connecting logic with emotion.
Strategists are especially curious and communicate well.
They know - if you have a well thought out idea but you can’t explain well, then it is unlikely to go very far.
That’s why great strategy is a blend of clear thinking and persuasive storytelling.
Let’s break it down...
(1) Clear Thinking
Clear thinking is the foundation.
It’s how you cut through noise and find what really matters.
Most people jump straight to solutions.
But great strategists slow down and ask hard questions:
→ What’s actually driving this situation?
→ What’s changed that others haven’t noticed?
→ Where’s the real bottleneck?
They go for clarity.
When you see the problem clearly, you will have an easier time designing a solution.
How to develop your thinking:
• Define the *real* problem
• Reframe it by asking "how else might we look at this"
• Break complexity into smaller, solvable parts
• Challenge assumptions and test your logic
Clear thinking gives you truth.
But truth alone doesn’t create action.
That's where this next part comes in...
(2) Persuasive Storytelling
Storytelling turns your clarity into conviction.
It makes people believe, and act.
A strategy story has 3 beats:
→ The Challenge – what’s happening and why it matters
→ The Big Idea – the reframe that changes perspective
→ The Action – what happens next and in what order
How to develop your storytelling:
• Get to the big idea (answer), don't spend too much time on context.
• Use vivid, simple language
• Make the stakes clear: why now, why us
• End with concrete next steps
(1) + (2) = Good Strategy
If you think clearly but can’t tell the story → no traction.
If you tell the story but can’t think clearly → no solution.
The magic happens when you do both.
Thinking gives meaning.
Storytelling creates influence.
Do both and you have a better chance to build momentum and get your strategy executed.
That’s why the best strategists must be thinkers and storytellers of change.
