Future of Strategy 2021: strategy is in demand – and changing

While it was encouraging to observe the growing importance of the strategist in 2020, this year’s Future of Strategy report from WARC notes how, in 2021, that prominence has led to some introspection among the strategy community about the best place to learn and practice.

Why it matters

WARC’s annual report on strategy is based on a global survey of practitioners gives a helicopter view of what the discipline is thinking. You can read a sample here; subscribers have full access.

Takeaways

• Strategists are busier than ever as economies open up. The emphasis on strategy has continued from the first year of the pandemic, with workloads and productivity remaining high. However, mid-level strategists are increasingly looking beyond agencies for new challenges.
• Training is a problem. Few strategists have formal training and few receive the funds or opportunities to pursue such training – the report identifies this as a potential weakness for agencies looking to retain strategic talent.
• Strategists are increasingly looking upstream – to client-side, consultancy, or freelance opportunities – as the day-to-day business of project-based downstream planning is frustrating to many.
• On diversity, equity, and inclusion, the industry continues to talk a good game but tangible action is less apparent.