Strategy is about choices. Planning is about how to execute those choices. And strategic planning? It is the bridge between the two that translates the bigger picture into focused, long-term action.
But not all planning is the same. When business, strategic, operational, and enterprise planning blur together, strategy starts to lose its edge.
Wocktail #7, To Strat-ini or To Plant-ini — That is the Question, decodes the difference and why it matters.
To illustrate, meet our fictional business: FMR Wocktails, a company serving bold, strategic insights you can savour.
1. Business Planning — What is being built and can it work?
Every business starts with a core concept. For FMR Wocktails, that means defining:
• What is the offering? (e.g., curated insights)
• Who is it for? (e.g., professionals)
• What is the cost, pricing and path to market?
✅ Business planning is about feasibility; it answers: Is this a viable business worth building?
2. Strategy — What kind of company will this be?
Once viable, the next step is to make intentional choices:
• Which segments will be served?
• Broad or focused offerings? (e.g., healthcare vertical)
• How will FMR Wocktails differentiate? (e.g., content depth)
✅ Strategy is about focus and positioning; it answers: What are we building and why?
3. Strategic Planning — How is strategy brought to life?
Strategic planning translates intent into a multi-year roadmap:
• What are the long-term goals? (e.g., growth)
• What initiatives will drive them? (e.g., content evolution)
• How will FMR Wocktails invest and sequence over time?
✅ Strategic planning sets direction; it answers: What do we need to achieve and by when?
4. Operational Planning — What needs to happen now?
Operational planning brings strategy into the here and now through short-term execution:
• What is being delivered this period? (e.g., content calendar)
• What teams are doing what, and by when? (e.g., weekly posts)
• How is progress tracked? (e.g., hiring plan)
✅ Operational planning drives execution; it answers: What actions are we taking now?
5. Enterprise Planning — How do teams stay aligned as the business grows?
As FMR Wocktails grows and scales, alignment becomes critical:
• Are all functions working toward shared priorities?
• How are interdependencies managed?
✅ Enterprise planning ensures integration at scale; it answers: How are we moving forward together?
🎀 Here’s a bow-tied summary: Start with viability (business planning), make intentional choices (strategy), map the long-term journey (strategic planning), execute in the now (operational planning), and scale in sync (enterprise planning).
Strategy and planning serve different purposes, but they must connect. And when they do, it is pure magic: they unlock structure, speed, and clarity.