Strategy is Leadership, Not Consensus
CEOs often emphasize collaboration, team input, and data-driven decisions. That’s fine—for execution. That’s fine—for execution. But when it comes to strategy, there’s only one person who matters: the CEO.
Strategy isn’t a group project. It’s not about gathering opinions or following trends. The best strategies come from a singular vision, executed with relentless focus. When you let strategy become a committee decision, you get compromise, not clarity. And compromise doesn’t win.
History’s Great Strategists Were Singular Decision-Makers
Great strategy is driven by individuals, not teams. Alexander the Great didn’t let his generals vote on whether to invade Persia. Napoleon didn’t workshop his plans with a panel of advisors. Bismarck unified Germany not by consensus, but by calculated power moves.
The same is true in business. Steve Jobs didn’t build Apple by following market research—he led it with instinct and vision. Jeff Bezos shaped Amazon by making long-term bets no one else saw. These CEOs weren’t looking for group approval. They dictated the game.
Committees Don’t Make Strategy—They Dilute It
When everyone in the room has a voice in strategy, the result is a blurry, indecisive tug-of-war where no one wins and momentum dies. Strategy is about setting a direction and committing to it. A room full of stakeholders won’t do that. They will hedge, adjust, and soften the edges until nothing bold remains.
Good execution requires teamwork. But great strategy demands a leader willing to make the hard calls—and own them.
The CEO’s Job: Decide, Drive, Lead
If you’re a CEO, your job isn’t to gather opinions—it’s to decide and move. Strategy requires conviction, not consensus. It’s about making bold, asymmetric moves that competitors struggle to react to.
A CEO who delegates strategy to committees is already losing. The best companies don’t wait for the world to dictate their next move—they shape the battlefield before anyone else knows what’s happening.
Conclusion: One Vision, One Strategy
Strategy starts and ends with the CEO. While it allows and requires vast amount of information, it’s not a democracy. The moment strategy becomes a team sport, it stops being strategy.
The CEOs who understand this build companies that dominate. The ones who don’t? They follow, adjust, and ultimately, disappear.