{"id":42847,"date":"2025-11-24T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/strtgy.design\/articles\/closed-for-strategy\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T23:11:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T22:11:56","slug":"closed-for-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/strtgy.design\/en\/strtgy-notes-en\/closed-for-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Closed for strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
\n

“You don’t need a new plan for next year. You need commitment.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Dan Waldschmidt, author of EDGY Conversations<\/a><\/p>\n\n

\u2014<\/p>\n\n

We’re always available for customers. For problems. For emergencies. But we’re almost never available for strategy. <\/p>\n\n

Strategic debt<\/h2>\n\n

When a company doesn’t stop, it shows. It’s not immediately visible in the accounts, but it’s visible where the work happens.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n

It shows in the tasks that infest our days like weeds. In the inconsistency of decisions made “on the spot.” In the “zombie” projects that never truly die. <\/p>\n\n

This is Strategic Debt<\/strong> . And just like financial debt, it accumulates compound interest every day. <\/p>\n\n

Continuing to work in<\/em> business without ever stopping to work on the<\/em> business is not something to be proud of. It’s negligence. <\/p>\n\n

We are “too busy”<\/h2>\n\n

Being constantly in a rush is the perfect refuge<\/strong> . It’s a way to hide from the hard work. It avoids the emotional labor of making irreversible decisions. <\/p>\n\n

Are you afraid to stop?<\/strong> I can assure you that unless you work in an emergency room, nothing will happen. The market will wait. <\/p>\n\n

But if you don’t stop, the market will stop you.<\/strong> And it won’t do it by sending you a link to a Zoom call that you can crash.<\/p>\n\n

Closed for strategy<\/h2>\n\n

We all accept the “Closed for Holidays” sign. We know people need to recharge to avoid burning out. But what about the company? <\/p>\n\n

Imagine hanging a different sign outside your door (or in your Out of Office email): \u201cClosed for Strategy.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

It’s not a spiritual retreat. Nor a tug-of-war or a cooking class with your colleagues. <\/p>\n\n

It’s the hardest and most important work you can do.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

It’s time to detox your team from the dopamine of emergencies to:<\/p>\n\n