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4 min read

Strategist

You’re responsible for the long arc: what change you’re driving, who has the power to grant it, and how a sequence of moves gets you there. This path is about the plan behind the tactics — the doing lives in the Tactician path.

Start here

  1. Theory of change — make explicit how your activities are supposed to produce the outcome you want.
  2. Power mapping — find who can actually give you the win, and what moves them.
  3. Spectrum of allies — plan to shift allies and opponents one step, rather than convert your enemies.
  4. Campaign planning — turn the theory into a dated plan with goals, phases, and checkpoints.
  5. Campaigns vs movements — know which one you’re running; the strategy differs.

Core path

Start from the change and the target, not the tactic. Map power, choose a theory of change, then let that dictate the sequence of tactics and the milestones you hold yourself to. The index below collects the strategy craft; worked examples live in examples by outcome.

Adjacent modes

  • Tactician — when the plan is set and you need the next action.
  • Manager — when the plan needs a budget, a team, and a timeline.
  • Coalition — when your theory of change depends on other organisations.

When you’re stuck

If the strategy feels stuck, test it: can you name the one target who can grant the win, the specific decision you’re asking for, and the pressure that would move them? If any of the three is fuzzy, go back to power mapping.

Basics

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