The First Pillar: Strategy

Today, we’re going to talk about the first pillar of the Career Factory 360 method: Strategy. 

Whenever I think about strategy, I go back to the quotes that stuck with me, the books I’ve read, and the strategies I’ve created for businesses, clients, and my own career. Strategy isn’t just a theory; it’s something I’ve practiced, lived, and passed on to others over the years. 

My fascination with strategy started with my love of history. I think of military tactics, historic battles, and timeless works like The Art of War by Sun Tzu or Machiavelli’s The Prince. Leaders like Napoleon, Julius Caesar, and Hannibal shaped their world through strategic brilliance and foresight. 

But strategy isn’t limited to the battlefield. It’s just as relevant in everyday life. You may not be preparing for a campaign, but you probably think about your retirement strategy—how you’re planning step by step for the future you want for yourself and your loved ones. 

The question is: how often do you think about your career strategy? 

What Do We Mean by Strategy? 

In simple terms, strategy is a high-level plan to get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow. 

The word itself comes from the Greek strategos, meaning “the art of the general.” At its core, strategy is about direction, foresight, and making choices that give you the best chance to succeed. 

Applied to your career, strategy is what turns random steps into purposeful moves. 

• Without a strategy, it’s easy to drift, where you're taking jobs as they come, saying yes to whatever’s in front of you, and hoping hard work alone will eventually get you somewhere fulfilling. 

• With a strategy, you move with intention. Each role you take, each skill you build, and each connection you nurture aligns with your bigger vision. You’ll still face setbacks and surprises, but you’ll adapt because you know the direction you’re headed. 

That’s the power of strategy, where it gives meaning to your effort. 

Strategy in Action 

Of course, strategy can’t just live in a journal or on a vision board. It needs checkpoints: 

• Am I gaining the skills I need? 

• Am I growing my network? 

• Am I getting closer to the role I want? 

Reflection ensures your strategy isn’t just words on paper but a living framework that drives outcomes. 

Sun Tzu captured this balance perfectly: you need both strategy and tactics. 

• Strategy without tactics may eventually get you there, but slowly, and at greater cost. 

• Tactics without strategy may keep you busy, but your energy will be scattered, and progress uncertain. 

The Reality: Everything Changes 

Here’s the hard truth: while you’re executing your plan, the world is shifting. Markets change, priorities evolve, and opportunities rise and fall. A rigid plan will fail in a changing environment. 

The strongest strategies are flexible: grounded enough to provide direction, adaptable enough to evolve with new circumstances. 

That’s just as true in your career. The role you dream of today might not exist in five years. The skill you learn now could open doors you don’t even see yet. A strong career strategy keeps you ready for what’s next, not locked into what was. 

The Takeaway 

The first pillar, strategy, isn’t about predicting the future but about preparing for it. 

When you take time to define your career strategy, you gain clarity, focus, and resilience to adapt as things change. 

So, ask yourself: 

• Do you have a strategy for your career, or are you just moving from tactic to tactic? 

• If everything shifted tomorrow, how ready is your strategy to shift with it? 

At the end of the day, strategy is the difference between wandering and progressing with purpose. 

<a href="https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/strategy" title="strategy icons">Strategy icons created by Freepik - Flaticon</a>