Anyone can type, but not everyone writes an award-winning novel.
Anyone can cook, but not everyone creates a Michelin-star dish.
Anyone can take pictures, but not everyone wins a photography award.
Strategy is no different. While anyone can devise a plan, not everyone can craft a winning strategy.
Why?
The answer lies in mastery.
In any craft, mastery determines the quality of the outcome. And in strategy, high-quality outcomes are what truly matter.
The Power of Mastery
Consider my favorite dish, salmon nigiri. On the surface, it’s deceptively simple: a thin slice of salmon belly atop sushi rice, served with soy sauce.
To the eye, there’s little difference between one made by a novice and one crafted by a master—just fish on rice, right?
But the moment you taste them, the difference is undeniable. It’s like comparing a firefly to the moon.
What creates this stark contrast? Mastery.
Even with the same basic ingredients—salmon and rice—a master transforms simplicity into brilliance.
The same principle applies to strategy. Two strategists can face identical problems under similar circumstances. Yet one creates brilliance while the other falters.
What sets them apart? Mastery.
The challenge is that, much like salmon nigiri, strategy’s quality isn’t always obvious at first glance.
From the outside, a winning strategy and a flawed one may look similar.
Their differences only emerge when they are put into action.
Masters, however, can recognize quality instantly.
Just as a sushi master notices the subtle details—the thickness of the salmon slice, the color of the fish, the shape of the rice—a master strategist identifies the nuances that separate winning strategies from mediocre ones.
The question is: how can you create a high-quality strategy?
What Makes a High-Quality Strategy?
The difference between poor and high-quality strategy lies in these 3 characteristics (which I call the 3M).
1. Multi-Dimensional: Preparing for Every Possibility
Poor strategies are often rigid and one-dimensional. They rely on a single plan, a single path, and a single assumption that everything will go as expected.
But life rarely plays out that way.
When circumstances change—or the planned approach fails—the entire strategy crumbles, leaving no alternatives to salvage the situation.
It’s like building a house of cards: it may stand briefly, but a single disruption brings the entire structure crashing down.
High-quality strategies are different. They are multi-dimensional.
Rather than betting everything on one approach, a master strategist explores multiple paths—options A, B, and C—and evaluates each with equal rigor.
This way, when things inevitably shift on the ground, the strategist doesn’t panic. They’ve already anticipated the change and are prepared to adapt.
Think of it this way: a great strategy flows like water; it bends when necessary, moves in a different direction when required, and even retreats temporarily to find a better position.
This is why you, as a high-quality strategist need to anticipate a wide range of possibilities.
Where a one-dimensional plan focuses solely on achieving success under perfect conditions, a multi-dimensional strategy considers:
What if the situation evolves?
What if unexpected challenges arise?
What if new opportunities emerge?
For instance, imagine you’re planning a product launch. A basic strategy might stipulate: “We will launch 100,000 units of Product X on Amazon.co.uk for the next 12 months.”
But a high-quality strategy digs deeper, e.g.
What if demand exceeds expectations? How will we scale operations without compromising quality?
What if demand falls short? What adjustments can we make to marketing, pricing, or messaging?
What if a competitor launches a similar product at the same time? How can we highlight our unique value proposition?
What if regulations in the target market change? Do we have alternative markets to consider?
What if our product doesn’t resonate with local consumers? Can we adapt it to better suit cultural preferences?
What if an unexpected opportunity arises in a different region? Do we have the resources to seize it without derailing our original plans?
But a great strategist doesn’t stop at identifying possibilities—they also explore the consequences of each option.
2. Multi-Layeredness: Thinking Beyond the First Move
In chess, novice players focus solely on their next move. Masters, however, think several moves ahead.
They don’t just consider their own actions—they anticipate how their opponent might respond and plan accordingly.
Great strategists do the same. They map out the action-reaction chain, anticipating not only immediate results but also the cascading effects that follow.
For example, when considering option A, they ask:
What will happen immediately if we choose this path X?
If X occurs, what ripple effects will it create Y?
If Y happens, what will be the final impact Z?
This layered thinking ensures the strategist is prepared for scenarios beyond the obvious.
Rather than viewing the strategy as a straight line, they see it as a network of interconnected paths.
This allows the high-quality strategy to thrive in complexity.
Real-life challenges are rarely linear—they’re messy and unpredictable.
A one-level plan, no matter how well-thought-out, often collapses when it encounters real-world complexity.
High-quality strategies thrive in this complexity because they embrace it. They’re built with the understanding that every action will have a reaction, and they’re designed to adapt seamlessly.
Consider an international business expansion strategy. A rigid approach might stop at deciding which market to enter and justifying the rationale behind that choice.
In contrast, a high-quality strategy goes further, asking critical follow-up questions, such as:
How will the incumbent market leader react? Will they lower their prices to squeeze us out of the market?
If they reduce their prices, how will customers respond? What actions can we take? Can we compete on price, or should we focus on differentiation?
If we choose to differentiate, how might the incumbent counter? Could they lobby regulators to block our entry? If they do, what countermeasures can we prepare?
By preparing for these possibilities in advance, the strategist ensures that no matter what happens, they remain ahead of the curve.
3. Multi-Adaptability: Fluidity in Mindset and Action
So far, we’ve seen that a high-quality strategy is an art form requiring the strategist to master two critical abilities:
Multi-dimensionality: The ability to view every choice as part of a larger, interconnected web of possibilities.
Multi-layeredness: The ability to think expansively, with depth and foresight, rather than following a shallow or simplistic path.
However, these alone are not enough.
A master strategist must also embrace Multi-Adaptability: a fluid mindset that enables them to adapt, endure, and thrive—regardless of how unpredictable the circumstances become.
Adaptability isn’t merely about reacting; it’s about being ready to act decisively in the moment. High-quality strategies empower strategists to:
Pivot gracefully: When the chosen path is blocked, they move seamlessly to the next-best option.
Reassess quickly: When conditions shift, they evaluate the new reality and realign their strategy without hesitation.
Seize opportunities: When unexpected openings emerge, they act decisively, having already considered the potential impacts of their choices.
This adaptability is what separates fragile, rigid plans from robust, resilient strategies that can thrive in complexity.
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Mastery, in strategy as in any craft, transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. And when you embrace this 3M approach, you don’t just create strategies—you create strategies that win.
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