^{READ TIME: 4 MINUTES}

🤔 I’ve always wondered what kind of person…

…would be insufferable enough to quote 5th century Chinese war strategist Sun Tzu’s The Art of War in aid of some vague and obscure business metaphor?

Well, now I know: Someone just like me:

When I first heard this quote, it immediately resonated.

No, I was not about to attack the rear guard of my ancient dynastic rivals. It resonated because in speaking with data professionals day in day out, I’ve become acutely aware than many of them are confused by the difference between tactics and strategy AND, as primarily technical people, tend to focus solely on tactics.

Strategy be damned 😳

Data is essential for organisations to both inform their strategies, as well as measure their performance in successfully executing on strategy.

For that reason, data people (more than most) need to be strategically literate. 

Moreover, data leaders often need to create data strategies that support and align with top down organisational strategies.

In short, succeeding as a data leader means contributing strategically.

(Remember to check out the results from the last poll - results down below👇🏻)

⚔️ Strategy Vs Tactics

The quote above is excellent because it highlights the synergy that needs to exist between strategy and tactics. One without the other is doomed to fail. You need both to succeed.

So what exactly are they?

• Strategy is the overarching plan: It’s the “what” and the “why” behind your goals. It’s focused on the big picture - what you want to achieve and why it matters.

• Tactics are the specific actions or steps: They’re the “how” you execute the strategy in the day-to-day. Without strategy, tactics are unfocused. Without tactics, strategy is unproductive and generally a waste of time.

Let’s look at some examples, starting with a generic business example:

• Strategy: A retail company aims to become the most customer-centric brand in their market by offering the fastest delivery times.

• Tactics: Implementing same day delivery options, optimising supply chain logistics, and partnering with local couriers.

And now let’s look at an example from our world of data:

• Strategy: A data leader envisions building a data driven culture to improve decision-making across the organisation.

• Tactics: Hosting regular data workshops, creating dashboards for key teams, and developing a self-service analytics platform (among others).

Both scenarios show that when strategy and tactics align, the results can be transformative. But one without the other will take you nowhere.

This is what going nowhere looks like:

1️⃣ Initiatives lack focus, leading to wasted resources and energy.

2️⃣ Teams struggle with confusion or burnout from constantly shifting priorities.

3️⃣ Long-term goals are abandoned in favour of short-term wins that don’t move the needle.

4️⃣ The organisation’s credibility suffers, as stakeholders lose trust in the ability to deliver results.

Here’s the good news: You can overcome these challenges by learning to align your strategy with your tactics. In the next section, I’ll show you how to get started and ensure you’re driving impactful, measurable outcomes.

Let’s explore below 👇🏻

🥹 Help me grow!

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, it would mean the world to me if you could refer some of your friends and colleagues in the data space. Look there are perks! 👀

👩🏼‍🔧 Let’s fix it!

Fixing the disconnect between strategy and tactics is critical because it’s the difference between spinning wheels and driving real progress. When you align the two, you unlock clarity, focus, and momentum. Not just for yourself, but for your entire team or organisation.

🟢 A Simple Framework to Get Started:

1. Begin with the End in Mind (Define Your Strategy):
   You’re a data leader aiming to drive business impact with data. Your simple strategy might be to "enable faster, data driven decision making across the company." This gives you a clear direction and purpose as well as one others can buy into!

2. Break it Down into Tangible Tactics:
   To achieve this strategy, you could:

   • Host a cross functional workshops to identify key business problems that data could solve.

   • Build an easy-to-use dashboard that tracks those metrics in real-time.

   • Establish a training program to up skill team members in using data tools.

3. Iterate and Stay Agile:
   Your tactics may need to evolve as you learn what works. Keep revisiting your strategy to ensure it still aligns with the business’s needs.

✨ Data Leadership Frameworks✨

The ultimate guide to powering forward in your data leadership career. This self paced email series contains 10 value-packed frameworks, each tackling and tearing down major data leadership challenges.

Currently only £49.00!

By the end of the series you will have covered topics including:

• How to create and formalise a more effective data intake process

• Strategies for becoming a better presenter to non-data audiences

• Developing a data strategy that aligns with your organisations overall strategy

• Becoming a powerhouse at selling your data teams wins and accomplishments

Click here to learn more!

⚡️ Previous poll results

Last time, we talked about embracing the cringe and diving headlong into the world of through leadership. If you missed it, find it here!

I was curious to know whether or not becoming a thought leader in data was your calling?

Seems like most of you are open to the idea - and 0 of you dismissed it outright. Very interesting!

Tristan Burns

Find me on LinkedIn or Book a 1:1 call