Making Space for Strategy: Why a Little “Inefficiency” Goes a Long Way

Most businesses know they should be more strategic.

But strategy often gets crowded out by the day-to-day. There’s always something urgent, something that looks more productive.

The truth? Strategic thinking is deliberately inefficient. And that’s not a flaw—it’s a feature.

As David Epstein puts it in his best-selling book, Range:

"Inefficiency needs cultivating too."

This isn’t just clever. It’s practical. Not everything worth doing delivers results right away. Especially in strategy.

Why Strategy Gets Sidelined

Let’s be honest about the barriers:

• Strategy takes time, and time feels scarce.

• Early thinking looks vague, so it feels unproductive.

• Strategic work is messy, full of questions, not answers.

• It needs collaboration, but diaries are packed with tactical meetings.

• It doesn’t feel urgent—until it’s too late.

So it gets postponed. Rushed. Or reduced to a once-a-year event.

Why Strategic Thinking Needs "Inefficiency"

Strategic thinking doesn’t run on clock time. It runs on insight, creativity, and curiosity.

Which means allowing for:

• Time to explore before deciding

• Space to connect dots across issues, markets, or teams

• Freedom to test ideas that might fail

• Input from people outside the usual bubble

These don’t show up on a Gantt chart. But they shape long-term success.

7 Ways to Make Room for Strategy

Here are seven practical ways to build strategic space into your routine:

1. Block thinking time
   Schedule protected time in your calendar. Treat it as fixed, not optional.

2. Slow down to reflect
   After each project or sprint, ask: Are we still solving the right problem?

3. Invite outside perspectives
   Involve voices from other departments, partners, or even customers.

4. Pilot, don’t perfect
   Test early. Start small. Learn fast.

5. Capture early signals
   Track trends, surprises, and weak signals—before they become obvious.

6. Make thinking visible
   Share early-stage ideas. Use visual frameworks. Let others contribute.

7. Reward insight, not just output
   Celebrate good questions and challenged assumptions—not just fast delivery.

Where to Build in "Strategic Inefficiency"

You don’t need a total overhaul. Just make breathing space at key moments:

Discovery & Analysis

• Explore weak signals

• Involve diverse perspectives

Strategy Formulation

• Step back before deciding

• Seek cross-functional input

Strategy Validation

• Pilot assumptions

• Iterate based on learning

Execution Planning

• Co-create plans

• Build in pivot points

Monitoring & Adaptation

• Regularly pause

• Reflect on context, not just KPIs

How StratNavApp.com Helps

StratNavApp.com embeds strategy into everyday workflows. So it’s not squeezed out by the urgent.

It helps you:

• Use proven tools like SWOT, PESTEL, Porter's Five Forces and many others.

• Link insights, goals, and initiatives

• Track delivery in real time

• Collaborate securely across teams

• Leverage AI to support better decisions

Instead of a one-off workshop, strategy becomes a living, breathing process.

Final Thought

If you want better strategy, don’t just try harder.

Design your processes to make space for it.

Because the best insights don’t come from rushing.

They come from asking better questions, exploring new angles, and giving yourself time to think.

Ready to turn strategic thinking into a daily habit?

Try StratNavApp.com yourself for free: https://www.stratnavapp.com