Let’s talk about something that nobody likes to admit. Most people are bad at strategy. It might sound harsh, but it’s true. Before you assume this is about intelligence or raw talent, take a step back. The problem usually has nothing to do with how smart someone is. It’s more about how companies develop, promote, and manage their people.
This issue can be especially challenging for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). You have limited resources, and you need to make sure you’re focusing on the right projects at the right time. That requires strong strategic thinking. Yet, if your team hasn’t had the chance to practice those skills, how do you make sure they’re making the right calls?
In this post, I’m going to walk you through why people struggle with strategy, how that affects SMEs, and what you can do about it, especially by working with a marketing consultant or Fractional CMO (FCMO). If you want to see your company grow in a sustainable way, stick around.
The Two Skills That Matter
In business, two skills matter more than almost anything else:
- Doing things well
- Deciding what things to do
It sounds obvious that you need both execution and big-picture thinking. But if you look at the typical career path in many organizations, you’ll see something interesting. From the moment someone starts out at an entry-level job and moves up through the ranks, they’re judged almost entirely on how well they can do the tasks assigned to them.
Does the person hit their deadlines? Do they deliver accurate work? Are they reliable and efficient? If the answers are yes, that person is labeled a high performer. This approach rewards execution. Eventually, they get promoted because they’ve shown they can handle more responsibility in the same vein.
What’s missing is any real chance to practice deciding what tasks actually matter. In many roles, someone else (a manager or director) decides the priorities. The lower-level employee simply executes. This continues year after year, until eventually the employee reaches a leadership position. Suddenly, they have to decide which projects are critical and which ones can wait.
But why would we expect them to have that skill if they’ve never needed it before?
Why Promotions Don’t Always Deliver on Strategic Thinking
At some point in a person’s career, there’s a major shift. They go from being the best at doing the job to being the one who tells others which job to do. It’s a completely different skill set, yet many organizations assume that because someone was great at execution, they’ll be great at strategy too.
Imagine spending 10 or 15 years becoming the best at running marketing campaigns, optimizing pay-per-click ads, and writing top-notch email sequences. Then, one day, you’re told you’re in charge of the entire marketing direction. You no longer just run campaigns. You decide what kind of campaigns should be run, when they should run, and whether they should run at all.
If you’ve never developed the skill of deciding which tasks matter, you might start to feel like a fish out of water. Many managers fall back on what they know best, which is how to execute well. That’s why micromanagement is so common. People retreat to the tasks they’re comfortable with, instead of operating at the strategic level that their role actually requires.
How This Hurts SMEs
If you’re running a small or medium-sized business, you might be thinking, “We’re too small for this to be a real problem. Everyone does everything here.” But that’s exactly why it can be even more of an issue.
In an SME, every person often has multiple responsibilities. There might not be distinct departments for every function. The marketer might also handle some sales tasks. The operations person might also handle HR duties. This environment makes it even more critical for people to know not just how to do their tasks, but also which tasks to focus on.
Without a strategic mindset, it’s easy to get stuck in a loop of getting stuff done without moving the needle. Sure, you’re checking items off the to-do list, but are you driving growth and innovation? Are you making decisions that align with long-term goals, or are you just reacting to the latest crisis or idea?
Over time, an SME that lacks strategic direction can hit a plateau. Sales might stall, employee turnover could rise, and inefficiencies start eating away at the bottom line. All because the team keeps doing things really well, but not always the right things.
Encouraging Strategic Thinking Early
The logical fix is to start developing strategic thinking at all levels. Even if someone is entry-level, they can still be encouraged to ask, “Is this the best way to spend my time? What are we trying to achieve here? Is there a better option?”
A great way to do this is to give people outcomes rather than tasks. If you’re a manager or business owner, try providing a goal, like “We want to increase customer retention by 15% this quarter,” instead of giving a specific set of steps. Let your people propose ideas, experiment, and learn what works best.
Yes, they’ll make mistakes, but that’s the point. Strategic thinking is like a muscle; you have to use it to make it stronger. Over time, they’ll develop the skill of figuring out what needs to be done, and they’ll get better at weighing different approaches.
And it’s not just about big visions. Even on smaller projects, encourage your team to think about what the most impactful tasks might be. That way, when they eventually step into a role that requires strategic decision-making, they’ll already have experience under their belts.
But What If You Need Strategic Guidance Right Now?
Encouraging strategic thinking from the ground up is a great long-term approach, and it pays off in higher engagement, more innovation, and better decision-making across the board. But some businesses don’t have the luxury of waiting for the culture to shift or for people to gain years of experience in strategy.
Maybe you need a top-level marketing strategy now. Maybe you’ve tried a bunch of tactics and nothing seems to stick, or you’re stuck on a plateau and not sure how to break through. That’s where a marketing consultant or Fractional CMO can come in.
What is a Fractional CMO?
A Fractional CMO is an experienced marketing executive who works with your business on a part-time or contract basis. You get the benefit of high-level strategic thinking without the cost of a full-time CMO.
This setup allows SMEs to tap into a depth of marketing knowledge and leadership that might otherwise be out of reach. A Fractional CMO won’t just help you decide on marketing tactics. They’ll guide your entire marketing function toward a strategic roadmap that supports your business goals.
How a Fractional CMO Improves Strategy
- Fresh Perspective: Since they’re not part of your daily grind, a Fractional CMO sees your business with fresh eyes. They can point out blind spots or areas for improvement that your internal team might overlook.
- Strategic Roadmap: They work with you to set clear goals and determine the best methods to reach those goals. This ensures you’re not just doing things well, but also doing the right things in the first place.
- Mentoring and Skill-Building: A good Fractional CMO doesn’t just hand down orders. They coach your team to think strategically. This means that over time, your employees become more capable of making sound decisions on their own.
- Flexible, Cost-Effective Structure: You get the expertise of a high-level executive without committing to another full-time salary. This arrangement is especially valuable for SMEs that might not have the budget for a full-time CMO.
Why Marketing Strategy is So Crucial
Strategy covers a broad range of areas, from product development to finance. But marketing is often the most visible part of your business. If no one knows who you are or why they should buy from you, it doesn’t matter how amazing your product or service is.
That’s why having a solid marketing strategy is non-negotiable. It forces you to ask the right questions. Who is our target audience? Where do they spend their time? What unique value can we offer them? Which channels are most effective, and what messaging resonates best?
Answering these questions is a strategic exercise. It’s not about just throwing up some Facebook ads and hoping they stick. It’s about understanding the market, positioning your brand effectively, and making data-driven decisions on where to allocate your resources.
Bridging the Gap for Lasting Success
So let’s recap the core ideas:
- Most people suck at strategy, not because they lack intelligence, but because they rarely get to practice.
- Our promotion systems focus on execution until suddenly we expect people to be strategic with no warning.
- This dynamic can harm SMEs, where limited resources make strategic decisions even more critical.
- The fix is twofold: encourage strategy at every level and bring in outside expertise when you need immediate results.
By letting junior and mid-level team members make some decisions and own their outcomes, you build a workforce that can think strategically. Over time, this pays off in a culture of innovation and adaptability. People will become more comfortable asking, “Is this really the right thing to do?” instead of only asking, “How do I do this as quickly as possible?”
But if you’re already feeling the pain of a vague or ineffective marketing direction, waiting might not be an option. A Fractional CMO can accelerate your progress. They bring expertise, structure, and strategic insight that can stop you from wasting time and money on tactics that go nowhere. Better still, they’ll coach your team along the way, making sure your people are learning how to think at a higher level.
If you’re feeling the pressure right now, (who isn’t?), there’s no shame in bringing someone in to guide you. That’s the role of a marketing consultant or a Fractional CMO. They can help you navigate the complexity of modern marketing, set a plan that aligns with your big-picture goals, and develop your team’s ability to think strategically.
So ask yourself: Are you just doing tasks well, or are you doing the right tasks in the first place? If you’re not sure, it’s time to find out. After all, strategy is a skill. It can be learned, practiced, and perfected. And the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see the payoff in your growth and profitability.
