Marketing strategy is still a relatively rare topic in Polish companies. Sometimes it is the result of a lack of appropriate skills to create a marketing strategy, and sometimes a lack of an appropriate budget. However, when companies do have it, it turns out that it makes it much easier for them to manage australia telegram data  their brand and conduct coherent and consistent communication.  

How is the strategic approach to problems perceived in Poland?

When I talk to participants in my trainings, guests  ryan flowers of my video podcasts or listen to experts from fields other than marketing, the reflection often comes to the surface that in Poland we are not particularly good at thinking and acting strategically. We have a bit of a Uhlan nature and this famous YOLO does not only apply to the young generation, but is actually a part of almost every one of us.

For example, some time ago I listened to a lecture by a well-known expert on geostrategy, Dr. Jacek Bartosiak, who discussed issues related to geopolitics and the security of our country. At one point, Dr. Bartosiak said that Polish generals during the communist era were never taught strategy. They were only supposed to improve in the operational, tactical area. Strategic matters were reserved for the Soviets.

Going even further along this line, the famous  mobile lead German chancellor who unified Germany in the 19th century, Otto von Bismarck, is said to have said that Poles should never, under any circumstances, be taught strategic thinking. So that they would never be able to connect the dots properly and fight for independence. Fortunately for us, thanks to the successful ending of World War I, we managed to return to the world maps. Unfortunately, not for long, because our strategy of creating security did not withstand an attack on two fronts.

What about on a personal level?

Even though I functioned as a pupil and student in the Polish education system for a total of a dozen or so years, I do not recall anyone ever teaching a subject devoted to strategy and how to shape it. There was always a focus on performing activities such as reading, counting, memorizing, passing classes. No one cared how to teach us to look in a strategic, systemic way. We were prepared to work in a factory or in an office. However, not to make strategic plans, but to perform line duties. Just like our generals from the communist era.

Of course, I am not saying that reading, writing, memorizing are not important. On the contrary, these are extremely important skills. They are like breathing in and out in biological terms. You do not breathe, you do not live. However, in order for a person to live and fulfill themselves, they must also have a body, mind, emotions and soul… All of this combined into one strategically brilliant concept.

What is strategic thinking?

Strategic thinking can be very helpful on a personal and business level. It allows us to develop the habit of looking into the distant future and creating an optimal vision for it. Strategic thinking is characterized by creating assumptions, goals and ways to achieve them despite the difficulty of perceiving them at the time of creation. This is probably where the difficulty in practical use of strategic thinking comes from.

Michał Kanarkiewicz put this topic very well in his book: “Strategies of Chess Masters in Business”.

“Strategy is identifying the final image of the position we are striving for, when it is not yet tangible in reality, and then preparing an appropriate, long-term plan.Strategy and tactics are also distinguished by their time horizon. Tactical elements are instantaneous, immediate, while strategic plans usually refer to long-term goals.” (I described in detail how strategy differs from tactics here ).