01 Oct What is Strategy?

We need a clear way of understanding strategy—how it shapes leadership, structure, and team dynamics to align with long-term goals. In the first half of this blog we will set up some concepts, and in the second half we use them to imagine four different approaches to strategy and organisational design.

Organisations require a sense of identity, direction, and clarity about the work to be done. Leaders guide and serve teams, which need both a mandate and a gameplan. Classically, these elements are expressed through Vision, Values, Mission, Goals, and Tactics. In theory, these should align, reinforcing each other and giving people agency to act.

Yet many organisations either don’t formalise these concepts or, if they do, don’t use them as intended. Henry Mintzberg helps us by breaking strategy down into Perspectives and Positions, both of which can be deliberate or emergent. These ideas significantly shape leadership practices, organisational design, and change.

Mintzberg’s Perspectives and Positions

• Perspective is the inward-facing view—how an organisation sees itself, its culture, values, and identity. It influences decision-making at all levels. A technology company might see innovation as core to its strategy, while a non-profit may focus on community service.
• Position is the external, tactical aspect—how an organisation stands in the market relative to competitors. It focuses on finding a niche or competitive advantage, often based on factors like market share, customer base, or product differentiation.

In summary:

Deliberate vs. Emergent Strategy

Both Perspectives and Positions can be deliberate—planned ahead—or emergent—developed through adaptation. Most organisations use a mix of both since deliberate strategies rarely unfold exactly as planned, while emergent strategies often lead to success through learning and adaptation.

Four approaches for four organisation designs

By combining deliberate and emergent strategies with Mintzberg’s perspectives and positions, we can visualise strategy in four ways:

• Monument: A fixed internal philosophy with a deliberate market position. For example, a company deliberately aims to be a low-cost leader, supported by an internal culture of efficiency.
• River: A clear internal philosophy, but an evolving market position. For example, a company’s vision of sustainability is strong, but its market strategy adapts as it explores eco-friendly niches.
• Landscaped Garden: A fixed market position, but an internal culture that evolves over time. For example, a tech company may position itself as an innovator, but its internal culture of innovation develops as the company grows.
• Natural Forest: Both internal philosophy and market position evolve. For example, a start-up may shift its identity and strategy based on customer feedback and industry changes.

What is Your Organisation’s Strategy?

Is your organisation’s strategy more deliberate or emergent? How does this impact leadership, structure, and team dynamics? Understanding your approach has significant implications for organisational design.

Call to Action

Contact us to discuss strategy, organisation design, leadership and teams. If you want to explore how your organisation’s strategy impacts team dynamics, join us at our next WorldsView Conversation Café on 30 October, where we’ll dive deeper into how different strategies shape team structures and leadership roles. Register here for “Team Dynamics in Different Organisational Structures: Collaborating for Effectiveness.”