One of the reasons I struggled in Spanish class was that I often confused the past tense with the imperfect tense. They looked similar, sounded similar, and both referred to the past… but they weren’t interchangeable.
Strategy and tactics are like that. Easy to confuse, but they play very different roles. It’s a common mistake, and I experience it often.
Think of strategy as the destination and tactics as the directions.
A good strategic goal should be simple and brief:
Increase brand saliency with Gen Z
Diversify donor base across three new geographic regions
Create a strong culture with above-average retention rates
The tactics are in the weeds: partner with Gen Z influencers, host fundraising events in X, Y, and Z cities, launch monthly employee surveys.
A quick gut check to help differentiate the two:
- If changing it would shift the overall goal, it’s the strategy
- If changing it would leave the goal intact but change how you get there, it’s a tactic
Strategy sets the direction, and tactics are the steps. If you and your team aren’t clear on the difference, you’ll end up debating details when you should be defining goals.
