Performance vs. Performance: Are You Driving Results or Just Applause?

We’ve all been there: the polished decks, the clever buzzwords, the excitement of unveiling a new strategy. And let’s be real—no one sets out to create a “performative” strategy. You’re not doing all that work just for the show. But sometimes, despite all the best intentions, that’s exactly what happens. We get caught up in the process, ticking off boxes, following the scripts we’ve learned from past experiences. And before we know it, our strategy looks good on paper, but it’s not actually moving the needle where it counts.

It’s not about being lazy or cutting corners—far from it. Most of the time, we’re working hard, grinding through endless meetings, building something we truly believe in. But it’s easy to fall into the trap of doing things the way we’ve always done them or focusing so much on delivering something “impressive” that we lose sight of what the strategy is supposed to do: create real, meaningful results for the long term.

Hands-on Strategy vs. Hands-off Assumptions

I like to call myself a hands-on strategist. Not because it’s a clever title, but because I’ve seen firsthand how easy it is to fall into the “motion trap.” Early in my career, I was part of plenty of strategic rollouts that looked amazing but didn’t really get things moving. And here’s the thing—it wasn’t because anyone set out to create a useless strategy. It was just that we trusted the process we were taught. We thought if we checked all the boxes and followed the steps, the results would come.

But reality has a way of teaching us that the world doesn’t work by the book. I remember a particular project during a global expansion into Brazil. The plan was flawless on paper—every insight, every tactic seemed locked in. But on the ground, it fell apart. The customer insights were too broad, and our tactics weren’t hitting the right targets. That’s when I learned that real strategy happens when you roll up your sleeves and adjust to the situation—not when you’re stuck executing a plan just because it’s the one you came up with.

Why Do We End Up With “Performative” Strategies?

So why does this happen? Why do so many strategies feel like they’re built for a presentation rather than real-world execution?

• We Trust the Process Too Much There’s comfort in following a proven structure—after all, these frameworks exist for a reason. But when we focus too much on the process and less on the purpose, we end up creating something that looks right, but doesn’t actually work in practice.
• We’re Under Pressure to Impress There’s often pressure to deliver something impressive. Whether it’s for stakeholders, clients, or your team, there’s this unspoken expectation that strategy needs to “wow.” But sometimes the focus shifts too much to how the strategy looks, and not enough to what it actually does.
• We Get Enamored With Clever Insights Here’s a common trap: you uncover a clever insight or stumble upon an exciting piece of data, and suddenly, it feels like the foundation for your whole strategy. It’s easy to get swept up by the promise of something new or underutilized. But not every intriguing detail has the power to move the needle. Just because your target audience favors a certain brand or habit doesn’t mean that centering your entire plan around it will lead to significant results. Sometimes, what looks like gold is just a shiny distraction, and while it might look impressive, it doesn’t always drive meaningful impact.
• We’re Afraid to Deviate Sometimes we get so attached to a strategy that’s worked in the past or in a different market that we treat it as an untouchable constant. But just because something worked before doesn’t mean it will work now. You can’t be too afraid to deviate from the script, because sticking to it without adapting is how you end up performing without producing.

A Good Strategy Does More Than Look Good

The truth is, a real strategy isn’t always shiny. It’s messy, adaptable, and often uncomfortable. It requires tough decisions and sometimes admits when things aren’t working. It forces you to ask, Is this driving us forward, or are we just going through the motions? And let’s be honest—clients aren’t going to keep buying into something that looks great but doesn’t deliver results. Sure, you might get away with it once or twice, but no one is interested in paying for a repeat performance that doesn’t improve.

A good strategy sets the North—it’s there to guide the way to real, meaningful, long-term results. It’s not about showing off; it’s about delivering real, measurable impact.

So, What’s the Fix?

Here’s the thing: cutting the “performative” aspect doesn’t mean stripping away all the polish. It means being intentional. It’s about making sure your strategy isn’t just impressive in theory but practical in execution. Ask yourself: Is this strategy built for real action, or am I just putting on a show?

We all want to build something that’s going to be remembered. But real strategy doesn’t just get applause—it drives results. And at the end of the day, they may applaud your performance, but they’re paying for actual results.