How Purpose-Driven Strategy Builds Resilient Leaders
When I first wrote “Strategy Is NOT a Four Letter Word” in November 2019, I was responding to leaders asking me how to help their teams stop fighting the idea of strategy and start embracing it as their roadmap to clarity and success. Fast forward to today, and that message resonates more than ever. In an era defined by disruption, short attention spans, and an endless stream of “shiny new things,” strategy isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.
Over the past several years, through my work at JMACRAE GROUP and as co-founder of The Inactive Company, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful strategy becomes when paired with purpose. At JMACRAE GROUP, our mission to “Build Brands. Grow Businesses. Create Memorable Experiences” has transformed into tangible impact—helping organizations not only sharpen their identities but also unlock new growth. We’ve guided companies through rebrands, market expansions, and purpose-driven campaigns, proving that thoughtful planning and bold creativity aren’t opposites—they’re partners.
At The Inactive Company, we’re redefining what it means to pause—to create space for reflection, rest, and innovation. My Co-Founder Lori Oliver would say that In many ways, that’s strategy in action too. Just as a business needs a roadmap, leaders need intentional stillness to make better decisions, reconnect to their purpose, and lead with clarity.
Strategy 2.0: Purpose-Led Planning
What’s evolved since 2019? Strategy is no longer just about where your business is going - it’s about why. The most effective plans now link business goals with cultural values and human needs. In my work, I’ve found that when organizations ground their strategies in purpose, three things happen:
Clarity Becomes Contagious When your “why” is clear, your “how” falls into place. Teams rally behind the vision, not just the plan.
Innovation Thrives Counterintuitively, guardrails unleash creativity. When everyone knows the destination, they’re freer to find fresh ways to get there.
Resilience Grows In a volatile world, purposeful strategy gives you something stronger than a plan: it gives you a compass.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Strategic Thinkers
This past spring, I had the privilege of guest lecturing to graduating seniors at The University of Georgia, sharing real-world lessons about how to weave strategy into their careers from day one. These future leaders are stepping into a business environment that demands adaptability, clarity, and purpose. My message to them, and to every emerging professional, is that strategy isn’t just for executives or entrepreneurs; it’s a lifelong skillset. Learning to think strategically early on sets you apart, equips you to handle uncertainty, and gives you the confidence to shape your own path rather than simply react to it.
The Next Chapter
If 2019 was about convincing leaders to embrace strategy, 2025 has been about helping them wield it differently, less as a static playbook and more as a living practice. At JMACRAE GROUP, our focus on smarter strategic planning, better business development, and meaningful marketing execution reflects this shift. And at The Inactive Company, we’re showing leaders how purposeful pauses can fuel their next big leap - "power down to power up" can literally mean a successful reboot to strategic planning!
My advice now is the same as then, but with a twist: stop fighting strategy, start fueling it with purpose—and don’t be afraid to pause along the way. Because in today’s world, the real power isn’t in moving faster; it’s in moving with intention.