So now we know our customer's goals. The next step in ensuring success is to find out, for each goal, exactly how they plan to achieve it. In other words, what is their business strategy? Before we begin, let's synchronize terminology. There is a risk at this point of sinking into a semantic discussion on what is strategic and what is tactical. For our purposes, a strategy is defined as one or more steps to be employed in pursuit of a business goal. After a manager has explained the business goal, it is reasonable to then follow up with the question “And what is your strategy for achieving this goal?”
So now we know our customer's goals. The next step in ensuring success is to find out, for each goal, exactly how they plan to achieve it. In other words, what is their business strategy? Before we begin, let's synchronize terminology. There is a risk at this point of sinking into a semantic discussion on what is strategic and what is tactical. For our purposes, a strategy is defined as one or more steps to be employed in pursuit of a business goal. After a manager has explained the business goal, it is reasonable to then follow up with the question “And what is your strategy for achieving this goal?”