Strategic planning: turning strategy into a living system
Posted 10th April 2026
In education and across organisations more widely, strategy is often treated as a one-off exercise: a plan is written, shared, and then quietly filed away. The problem is that the world does not stand still. In practice, most strategies fail because they are static in a dynamic environment.
We take a different approach.
At Dixons, strategy is not a document, it is a continuous journey. It is live, adaptive, and constantly shaped by what is actually happening in real time.
Strategy as a journey
Traditional strategic planning assumes certainty: fixed goals, fixed timelines, and predictable conditions. But education rarely works like that.
Instead, we design strategy as a living system, one that evolves weekly, responds to evidence, and is grounded in reality rather than assumption.
This means:
- no annual “set and forget” plans
- no static strategic binders
- continuous adaptation based on what is working now
We draw on ideas such as endowment thinking, big moves, and decision tools that prevent “rubber-stamping” and force real debate about alternatives.
The result is a strategy that is active, not archival.
Understanding your starting point
Before setting direction, we start with honesty.
We take a clear, unfiltered look at our endowment, the reality of where we are starting from. This includes:
- what has and has not worked historically
- staffing health and capability
- financial position and resource flow
- the real needs of our communities
Alongside this, we identify external trends, not as threats, but as forces we can respond to and use to our advantage.
This creates a shared, evidence-based foundation that removes guesswork and replaces it with clarity.
The live list
At the centre of our approach is the live list, a constantly updated view of everything that matters.
It includes operational issues, strategic challenges, and emerging priorities in one place.
The live list is:
- dynamic (updated regularly)
- unfiltered (big and small challenges together)
- actionable (feeds directly into decisions and meetings)
We use it to:
- identify what is most important right now
- remove distractions that are not on the list
- ensure strategy stays connected to reality
If something is not on the live list, it is not part of the conversation.
From vision to action
Our longer-term direction is captured in a simple 2–5 year master plan, designed to stay clear, memorable, and focused.
Rather than lengthy documentation, we use a small number of clear steps that everyone can understand and recall. These steps are reviewed regularly and adjusted when needed, ensuring the vision stays alive rather than symbolic.
This creates a shared direction without losing agility.
Big moves and focus
Strategy only works if it leads to action.
That is why we organise delivery through big moves, focused, time-bound efforts to solve the most important challenges from the live list.
Each big move has:
- a clear problem
- a defined outcome
- specific objectives that guide progress
We avoid spreading effort too thin. Instead of “peanut buttering” resources across everything, we concentrate energy where it will have the greatest impact.
Big moves are reviewed regularly, with the discipline to stop, adapt, or double down depending on progress.
What’s most important right now
To keep everything aligned, we use a weekly focus: what’s most important right now.
This is our short-term rallying point. It is:
- singular (one priority at a time)
- time-bound (3 – 9 months)
- shared across teams
It connects long-term strategy to day-to-day action. Resources, attention, and effort are intentionally aligned behind it, ensuring that strategy is always active, not abstract.
Why this matters
This approach turns strategy into something lived, not written.
Instead of disappearing into documents, strategy becomes:
- visible in weekly decisions
- responsive to real conditions
- focused on what matters most right now
- connected from long-term vision to daily action
It is a system designed for clarity, speed, and honesty in complex environments.
Watch the series
You can explore the full strategic planning series here.