Tired of hearing “strategy” thrown around like confetti? Same. Let’s talk real plans that actually get done.
Let’s be honest.
If we had a shilling for every time someone used the word “strategy” without explaining what they actually meant, we’d be retired by now. (Preferably by a beach, with coconut in hand and zero email notifications.)
“Let’s develop a comprehensive strategy for engagement.”
“We need to be more strategic about this.”
“Our strategy moving forward is to strategise better.”
Eish.
Enough with the buzzword gymnastics. Strategy isn’t magic. And it certainly isn’t an excuse to delay action. So let’s unpack what real strategy actually looks like — Kenyan-style. Practical, doable, and yes, designed to move things.
First Off: What Is Strategy?
In plain English?
Strategy is your plan to win — whatever “winning” means for you. It’s the roadmap. The GPS. The “How we’ll actually get from where we are to where we want to be” manual.
And no, it’s not that glossy 80-page document you printed five copies of but never opened again.
How Strategy Should Work (But Often Doesn’t)
Here’s how most people approach strategy:
- Hire a consultant.
- Hold a workshop with tea, chapati, and PowerPoint.
- Leave with “strategic pillars” and a big PDF.
- File it.
- Return to business as usual.
Now here’s how it should actually go down:
1. Start With Clarity, Not Complication
Who are we trying to help? Why? What’s not working right now? If your strategy doesn’t answer these in a clear sentence (not a paragraph), you’re already off track.
2. Make It Local, Not Copy-Paste
Strategies built in Nairobi boardrooms using examples from Silicon Valley rarely survive Kisumu fieldwork or Kitui realities.
Real strategy understands context — language, resources, limitations, strengths, politics (yes), and even that guy who always shows up late but knows everyone in the county.
3. Execution Is Everything
A beautiful strategy that never gets implemented is just… fiction.
If it can’t be broken into steps, assigned to people, and tracked for progress — it’s not a strategy. It’s a dream. And we don’t do sleepy work around here.
What Good Strategy Feels Like
✅ You know what you’re doing this quarter
✅ Your team has marching orders they actually understand
✅ Your funders can see progress beyond pie charts
✅ Your communities feel the difference (even if they don’t read your report)
If your plan doesn’t lead to real action — more jobs, stronger systems, better programs, improved lives — then it needs a remix.
Strategy in the African Context? It’s a Team Sport.
Whether you’re a grassroots NGO, a pan-African movement, a government department or a growing business — building effective strategy is about collaboration, not dictation.
- Talk to the doers before you write the big ideas
- Make room for tea breaks and test runs
- Expect curveballs (rain, politics, power outages)
- Build feedback loops (not just spreadsheets)
And above all — build for now, but design for later. Resilience is sexy. Flexibility is power.
Final Word?
Strategy isn’t a buzzword. It’s a tool. A bridge. A compass.
And when it’s done well — with brains, heart, and local truth — it moves mountains (and ministries).
At Three Trees Africa Advisory, we help organisations grow strategies that leave the file cabinet and land in real life. We’ve seen enough dusty PDFs to know better. Let’s build you a plan that actually works. ??
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