Part of the Voice I Almost Lost – Blog #21
by Alana Pierre Curry
Some leaders love strategy. They live for the big-picture conversations, the vision boards, the five-year plans. And that’s important—strategy is what sets the course.
But here’s the truth: strategy alone doesn’t keep a project afloat. Tactics do. The day-to-day. The meeting notes. The deadlines. The coordination. And while a leader doesn’t need to live in the weeds, there are times when ignoring the details leaves the team struggling under the weight of it all.
I’ve seen what happens when a leader proudly claims, “That’s not my strength.” It sounds honest, maybe even self-aware. But if the result is one team member carrying all of the tactical burden, it stops being a matter of preference. It becomes unfair—and unsustainable. Stress builds. Resentment grows. And the work suffers.
Leadership isn’t just about casting vision; it’s about knowing enough of the details to step in when needed. Not to micromanage, but to ensure no one is left hanging out to dry. When a team member insists they’re fine while showing clear signs of struggle, the leader has a responsibility to dig deeper. Because if one person is drowning, the work is at risk.
Not every leader has the advantage of working their way up through every role. But that doesn’t mean they get a pass. It means they must be intentional about learning what their team does, how they do it, and where the friction points lie. Leaders should absolutely learn from their teams—but the best leaders also teach, offering guidance and models for improvement.
Think of it as a player-coach role: you can call the plays, but you’re also capable of jumping in when the game demands it. You understand both the strategy and the tactics, and you’re willing to flex between them for the good of the team.
The best leaders I’ve known balance both. They can zoom out to chart the future, and zoom in to tackle the details when needed. They don’t lean on “this isn’t my strength” as a shield. They grow. They learn new skills. They do what’s necessary to support the people who are carrying the work.
Because in the end, leadership isn’t about choosing between strategic or tactical. It’s about knowing when your team needs you to be both.
Helpful, much appreciated.