In a previous article, I explored what happens when a company operates without a clear strategic direction. Continuing that theme, let’s look at a question that keeps surfacing in boardrooms and leadership teams: why do so many organizations – even mid-sized and large ones – abandon strategic planning altogether?
According to research by Grant Thornton, one in four medium-sized companies in Poland admits to having no strategy, while another 22% aren’t sure if they have one. In other words, nearly half of Polish firms navigate without a defined course. But why?
Here are four common beliefs that cause companies to set their strategic compass aside.
1. “We Don’t Have Time for That” – When Daily Operations Devour Strategy
This is the most frequent justification. Executives and owners often say: “Planning? We’d love to, but we’re too busy running the business.”
Firefighting consumes the calendar – urgent client issues, supply delays, and staff shortages fill every hour. In that chaos, “no time” becomes a convenient excuse to postpone thinking about the future.
The irony is that the lack of planning creates more crises. Without strategic priorities, every issue feels urgent, and the company becomes reactive rather than proactive. Teams stay busy but rarely move forward.
Mature organizations understand that strategic planning isn’t a luxury — it’s an investment. The time spent on aligning goals and direction pays back through better decisions and fewer emergencies later.
2. “Everything Changes Too Fast to Plan” – The Myth of Agility Without Strategy
In today’s volatile business environment — defined by inflation, regulation shifts, and rapid technological change — flexibility sounds like the smarter choice. Many leaders argue: “Why plan, when the world changes every three months?”
But as General Eisenhower said: “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.”
The act of planning forces leaders to think critically about the future, test assumptions, and prepare for different scenarios. A good strategy doesn’t limit agility; it enables it. It’s not a fixed schedule — it’s a compass that helps you adjust course intelligently.
Operating without a strategy is like sailing without a map: it may feel free, but in reality, it’s directionless. Companies that skip planning because “things change too fast” often confuse chaos with flexibility.
3. “No One Reads It Anyway” – When Strategy Becomes Shelfware
Many companies have a bad memory of producing a thick, beautifully designed strategic document — full of SWOT charts and lofty goals — that no one ever used. The team saw it once during a presentation and never again. The result? Cynicism: “Why bother writing a strategy if no one reads it?”
The failure isn’t in the concept of strategy itself — it’s in how it’s built and communicated. If a strategy is theoretical, disconnected from real decisions, or locked away in a binder, it will die on the shelf.
Research shows that only half of the companies that have a strategy actually share it with their employees. Without communication and ownership, even the best plan is meaningless.
The solution is a living strategy — simple, practical, and actionable — one that shapes everyday management decisions and connects to measurable results.
4. “We’ve Always Done It Our Way” – The Founder’s Trap
Many mid-sized businesses owe their success to strong, intuitive founders. These leaders built their companies by instinct — and it worked. Over time, however, this success creates the founder’s myth: “We’ve never had a formal strategy, and we’ve been fine for 20 years.”
But what worked for a small, founder-driven business rarely works at scale. As organizations grow, complexity increases. Without a clear strategy, decisions become inconsistent, priorities blur, and opportunities slip by.
Experience and intuition are valuable — but they’re not a substitute for structure. Strategic planning doesn’t replace entrepreneurial thinking; it channels it. It helps the company evolve from being founder-led to being professionally managed — without losing its agility or spirit.
A Final Thought
A lack of planning doesn’t make a company modern or agile — it signals organizational immaturity and short-term thinking.
Even the best captain needs a compass. A forward-looking organization combines agility with strategy — adapting to change while staying guided by clear priorities.
So ask yourself: Is the absence of a plan really a sign of freedom — or a sign that your company is drifting?