In his latest book, "This Is Strategy," Seth Godin presents us with what might be the most profound insight into strategic thinking I've encountered: "Strategy is a philosophy of becoming."
This single line carries the weight of a revolution in strategic thinking. It's not just another business catchphrase—it's a fundamental reimagining of how we approach organizational transformation and strategic development.
The Power of Becoming
When most of us think about strategy, we think about plans. We think about roadmaps, objectives, and carefully plotted courses of action. But Godin turns this conventional wisdom on its head. Strategy isn't about planning—it's about becoming. It's about the transformative journey an organization undertakes to create meaningful change in the world.
This isn't just semantic wordplay. It's a fundamental shift in how we approach the very concept of strategy. It moves us from the realm of static documents and rigid frameworks into the dynamic space of continuous evolution and intentional transformation.
Breaking from Traditional Thinking
Traditional strategic thinking has always been about certainty. About creating plans that guarantee success. "If we do this, we win," as the old thinking goes. This approach has dominated business thinking for decades, leading to endless cycles of strategic planning sessions, detailed roadmaps, and carefully constructed metrics.
But Godin suggests something far more nuanced and truthful: strategy comes with the understanding that "this might not work." And that's not just okay—it's essential.
Because true strategy isn't about guarantees. It's about creating the conditions that enable transformation. It's about understanding who we want to become and charting a course toward that aspiration, even when the path isn't entirely clear.
This perspective aligns with what we intuitively know about change and growth—that it's rarely linear, often messy, and always involves some degree of uncertainty.
Why This Matters Now
We're living in an era of unprecedented change. The rise of artificial intelligence, the transformation of work, the shifting nature of competition—all of these factors make traditional strategic planning increasingly problematic.
How can we plan for a future that's fundamentally unrecognizable from our past? The pace of technological change alone makes traditional five-year plans seem almost quaint. Add in the complexities of global markets, evolving consumer behaviors, and shifting societal expectations, and the limitations of traditional strategic planning become glaringly apparent.
The answer, through Godin's lens, is that we shouldn't try to plan it all out. Instead, we should focus on our philosophy of becoming—on understanding what we want to transform into, even if we don't know exactly how we'll get there.
This approach acknowledges the fundamental uncertainty of our times while providing a framework for moving forward purposefully.
The Courage to Become
This approach to strategy requires courage. It's easier to hide behind detailed plans and concrete metrics. It's more comfortable to focus on what's measurable rather than what's meaningful. Traditional metrics and KPIs provide a sense of control and certainty that can be comforting in uncertain times.
But as Godin points out, "a useful strategy almost always begins as both inconvenient and inefficient." If your strategic direction doesn't make you at least a little uncomfortable, it might not be ambitious enough.
This discomfort isn't just an unfortunate side effect—it's a signal that you're pushing beyond the boundaries of what's known and comfortable. It's evidence that you're truly engaging with the process of becoming rather than simply optimizing what already exists.
The Risk-Reward Paradox
There's something powerful about embracing the uncertainty inherent in becoming. While traditional business thinking often focuses on eliminating risk, Godin's perspective suggests that some degree of risk isn't just unavoidable—it's desirable.
After all, transformation without risk is just optimization. And in today's rapidly evolving world, mere optimization isn't enough. The greatest opportunities—and the most meaningful transformations—often lie in the spaces where others fear to venture.
This doesn't mean being reckless. Instead, it means being thoughtful about which risks to take and understanding that the biggest risk might be trying to avoid risk altogether.
Leading Through Becoming
This perspective on strategy has profound implications for leadership. It suggests that our primary role isn't to create perfect plans, but to:
- Foster environments where transformation is possible
- Build capabilities for adaptation and evolution
- Maintain the courage to pursue meaningful change
- Create space for experimentation and learning
- Cultivate resilience in the face of uncertainty
- Model the openness to change we wish to see in our organizations
This requires a different kind of leadership—one that's more focused on enabling potential than controlling outcomes. It calls for leaders who are comfortable with ambiguity and skilled at helping others navigate uncertainty.
Beyond Planning
None of this means that planning isn't important. Plans have their place—but they should serve your strategy, not be your strategy. They should be flexible tools that help you move toward your aspirational state, not rigid constraints that limit your ability to adapt and evolve.
Your strategy—your philosophy of becoming—should guide your planning, not the other way around. It should inform what you plan for and how you plan, always keeping the focus on the transformation you seek to create.
This might mean:
- Creating more flexible planning frameworks
- Embracing shorter planning cycles
- Building in regular reflection and adjustment periods
- Focusing more on capabilities than specific outcomes
- Measuring progress in terms of learning and adaptation rather than just concrete deliverables
The Question of Our Time
In this age of rapid transformation, perhaps the most crucial question isn't "What should we do?" but rather "What should we become?"
This question applies equally to organizations and leaders:
- What kind of organization do we want to become in this new era?
- As leaders, who do we need to become to guide this transformation?
- What changes are we willing to embrace to enable our becoming?
- How can we create environments that support continuous evolution?
- What capabilities do we need to develop to thrive in uncertainty?
- How do we maintain our core values while embracing transformation?
These questions don't have easy answers, but wrestling with them is essential to developing a meaningful strategy.
Embracing the Journey
Understanding strategy as a philosophy of becoming doesn't make strategic thinking easier—in many ways, it makes it harder. It requires us to embrace uncertainty, to be comfortable with ambiguity, and to maintain faith in our transformative journey even when the path ahead isn't clear.
But it also liberates us from the impossible task of trying to plan everything perfectly. It gives us permission to focus on what truly matters: the meaningful change we want to create in the world.
This approach to strategy:
- Acknowledges the reality of uncertainty while providing a way forward
- Focuses on transformation rather than just optimization
- Embraces learning and adaptation as core strategic capabilities
- Provides a framework for meaningful change in rapidly evolving contexts
- Allows for more authentic and sustainable organizational development
Moving Forward
As you think about your own strategy, consider:
- What are you becoming?
- What transformation do you seek to create?
- How comfortable are you with the uncertainty of your journey?
- What capabilities do you need to develop to support your becoming?
- How will you measure progress on your transformative journey?
- What might you need to let go of to enable your becoming?
Remember: Your strategy isn't your plan. Your strategy is your philosophy of becoming. Your theory of self. Your aspirational end state.
The Path Ahead
The beauty of viewing strategy as a philosophy of becoming is that it acknowledges both the challenge and the opportunity inherent in transformation. It recognizes that meaningful change is difficult and uncertain, but also that this very uncertainty creates the space for innovation and breakthrough.
In a world where change is the only constant, perhaps the most strategic thing we can do is embrace our own becoming. To acknowledge that we are always in process, always evolving, always moving toward what's next.
The plans will come later. For now, focus on who—and what—you're becoming.
This is strategy in its truest form. This is the philosophy of becoming.
