Aug ’25 – Being Strategic When All the Sh#t…
Week 4 – Small Time Strategy
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Week 4 – Small Time Strategy
This week’s conversation began with a lighthearted trip down technology memory lane—beepers, car phones, and the days of balancing checkbooks—before turning to the heart of our session – strategy as an everyday practice.
A few threads from our conversation below…
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Strategy Beyond the Five-Year Plan
Chris framed strategy as not just a long-range organizational tool, but something we can apply weekly and even daily—helping us step out of reaction mode and make intentional choices. -
Planning with Purpose
Caralee reflected on how she often keeps strategies “in her head,” using them even in conversations or clinical work, but struggles to make them visible to others. This led to insights about the importance of mapping out strategy—whether visually, with data, or through communication—so that others can see the direction clearly. -
Trade-Offs & Communication
Strategy involves choosing what not to do, and Sarah shared how Open Door’s decision to invest in medical assistants illustrates both the power and the challenges of trade-offs, especially when communication is uneven. Transparency surfaced as a vital companion to strategy—helping staff feel included and reducing resistance to change. -
Levels & Stages of Strategy
Dan emphasized the difference between saying you have a strategy and actually practicing one. He noted how recognizing the stage you’re in—diagnosing, framing policy, or acting—can bring calm and focus. He also highlighted the gap between aspirational (patient-centered) and real (profit-driven) strategies in the corporate world, and how alignment and accountability keep teams grounded. -
Flexibility vs. Fidelity
A recurring theme was the tension between having a clear, linear plan and the real-world need for flexibility. Sarah raised the risk of “pivoting” so often that no strategy remains, while Dan compared strong strategies to “cooked noodles”—flexible enough to bend, but not so brittle that they break. -
Collaboration & Buy-In
We discussed how involving people early (even taking leaders out to shadow staff) creates deeper investment in strategy. Caralee shared a recent example of guiding a group of leaders through a structured decision-making process, balancing flexibility with enough structure to move forward.
Good strategy balances clarity with adaptability, trade-offs with transparency, and personal intuition with collective buy-in. It isn’t just a high-level organizational exercise—it’s something we can practice in our daily choices, conversations, and leadership.
If you missed the session you can skim the replay below:
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