What is success and, more specifically, what is strategic success? The word success means “to accomplish one’s purpose or goal.” The word strategic is an adjective derived from the noun strategy, which means “a plan, method, or series of maneuvers for obtaining a specific goal or result.”[i] Implicit in the meaning of strategic is the idea of a goal or objective—some purpose that is bigger and longer term than the short-term tactical actions taken to achieve the objective. And to strategize implies aligning the tactical actions with the intended goal. With this understanding, strategic success would be the result of the execution of a set of integrated short-term tactical actions that facilitated the accomplishment of a long-term purpose or goal.
For Christians, strategic success is recognizing that human beings are created by a sovereign, intentional, strategic Creator who defined the purpose of humanity to be his ruling agents and he is executing a metanarrative of redemption in a fallen world. Therefore, everything that exists serves a divinely ordained purpose in the metanarrative. Consequently, strategic success is the alignment of all human thoughts and actions with the will and ways of the Creator in the context of the metanarrative.
Applying this to the marketplace, strategic success is not a series of independent actions but rather interdependent actions that must be viewed as serving God’s purpose in the context of the metanarrative. This requires metaphysical awareness—the ability to see reality from God’s perspective and the willingness to align with God’s purpose.
Strategic success is, then, not fame, fortune, influence, or power. These are worldly metrics. True strategic success is based on “wisdom from above” and achieved when organizations humbly and selflessly surrender their will and ways to serve the will and ways of God.
Here is your business tip. Wise organizational leaders will reject the worldly definition of strategic success and embrace the Christian definition. All transactions must be tactically aligned with the will and ways of God not with pragmatic metrics, such as, does it work or will it make money. Everyone in the organization must be trained to think from a Christian worldview and then empowered to tactically act aligned with the strategic plan, which is congruent with the will and ways of God. The organizational culture must support this view of strategic success and the leaders must hold all stakeholders accountable to live accordingly.
