Why a Plan Isn’t a Strategy: What Asif Ahmed’s Viral Post Taught Us About Business Execution

A fresh look at the pitfalls of tactical overplanning and the undervalued role of strategic thinking in early-stage and high-growth companies

 

Introduction:

“Most businesses have a plan. Few have a strategy.” That sharp observation, posted by Asif Ahmed, Head of Early Stage, Tech & High Growth, hit a nerve across LinkedIn. Garnering over 150 comments and nearly 200 reactions, Ahmed’s breakdown of the often-blurred line between planning and strategy was more than a viral moment—it was a wake-up call.

In a world where execution speed is prized and frameworks abound, Ahmed’s post cut through the noise to ask a foundational question: Are you planning your work, or working your strategy?

 

Background & Context:

Asif Ahmed advises venture-backed founders navigating early-stage and high-growth terrain. His expertise lies in shaping business thinking from financial planning to strategic direction. This post, though succinct, comes at a time when many startups are scaling prematurely, confusing structure for substance, and often mistaking detailed planning for actual strategic clarity.

His post titled “Why a Plan Isn’t a Strategy” emphasizes how the obsession with to-do lists, deadlines, and granular progress metrics can mask a deeper issue: lack of direction. Drawing parallels between tactical and transformational thinking, Ahmed outlines how businesses fall into “The Plan Trap” and the “Execution Paradox.”

 

Main Takeaways / Observations:

1. The Plan Trap: Mistaking Action for Alignment Ahmed begins by critiquing a common issue: companies get trapped by “the plan.” This is the tendency to focus on execution steps without a clear understanding of the “why” behind them. While plans focus on how to do things, strategy answers why they should be done at all.

In his words: “Plans focus on ‘how’ to do things. Strategy answers ‘why’ we do them at all.”

2. The Execution Paradox: Why Great Planning Fails Without Strategy Ahmed then delivers a powerful insight: “A perfect plan with the wrong strategy fails. A decent strategy with an average plan often succeeds.”

This counterintuitive idea resonates because it reframes execution success. Execution alone isn’t a virtue—alignment is. If your plan is optimized but your strategy is flawed, you’re simply executing well in the wrong direction.

3. A Clear Framework: Tactical vs. Transformational One of the most shared parts of the post is the breakdown between tactical plans and transformational strategies:

Plans Are Tactical:

• To-do lists
• Set deadlines
• Allocate resources
• Track progress
• Assign tasks
• Manage known risks
• Step-by-step execution

Strategies Are Transformational:

• Shape future vision
• Set breakthrough goals
• Focus on priorities
• Build capabilities
• Adapt to shifts
• Navigate uncertainty
• Measure real impact

This dichotomy made the post resonate across functions—from operations to leadership to finance.

4. The Right Sequence: Strategy First, Then Plan Ahmed urges leaders to reverse a common mistake: “Most companies do it backwards. They plan activities without strategic direction. Then wonder why execution feels hard.”

His proposed order:

• First, craft the strategy (the why)
• Then, build the plan (the how)

 

Community Reaction:

The comment section reads like a masterclass in leadership reflection.

Steven Paul (Board Advisor): “Most teams obsess over plans because they feel productive — but without strategic clarity, all that action leads nowhere. The real leverage lies in knowing why you’re executing before you decide how.”

Ryan Yockey noted: “It’s pretty rare for a business to have the right strategy and the right execution. Poor execution happens more often, and it often comes down to leadership not empowering their teams to do the work.”

Zack Edwards summed it up well: “Strategy gives your work direction. It’s the part that makes all the doing actually matter.”

 

Our Perspective / Analysis:

From a legal and business strategy viewpoint, Ahmed’s post is especially relevant when drafting governance frameworks, board-level priorities, or contractual obligations for startups and scale-ups.

In our experience, founders often invest legal energy in incorporating entities, detailing shareholder rights, or crafting board resolutions—without anchoring these in a coherent strategy. For instance, a cap table plan without strategic growth milestones will eventually collapse under investor pressure. Similarly, commercial agreements based on tactical objectives (like short-term revenue goals) risk underperformance if not rooted in long-term value strategy.

Strategic clarity also shapes legal risk posture. A company focused solely on executing checklists may neglect future-facing clauses like IP ownership in international markets, regulatory horizon scanning, or multi-jurisdictional tax obligations.

Ahmed’s advice? Start with the future vision—even before the term sheet.

 

Call to Reflection or Action (Closing):

So here’s the question Ahmed wants you to sit with: Are you planning your work? Or working your strategy?

If you’re a founder, executive, or advisor, it’s time to invert the default. Start with why. Let strategy shape the actions—not the other way around.

Because the difference between companies that execute and companies that endure often comes down to this: strategy defines what matters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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