"The problem with priorities"

“Of course, strategy is usually about market domination, not erudition. It’s about where to play and how to win. But in an Evolutionary Organization it can be hard to tell the difference between doing something because it’s strategic and doing something because it’s the right thing to do.
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When purpose is paramount, anything that serves the purpose is strategic, even if it’s not overtly commercial.
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Regardless of your values, strategy is about identifying that which is critical—the factors that will make the difference—and determining how to leverage what is at your disposal to maximize your chances of success.
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The problem with priorities is that we have too many. The word “priority” didn’t even have a plural form until the 1900s; before that it meant “the very first thing.” Unfortunately, when you prioritize everything, you prioritize nothing. Just because you want absolute low cost and absolute quality doesn’t mean you can have both in equal measure. When push comes to shove, something’s gotta give. The “Agile Manifesto” used “over” statements such as “responding to change over following a plan” to make trade-offs explicit in service of better software.
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Your purpose is clear. Your essential intent is well defined and regularly tuned. Using these beacons, people are “voting with their feet” and energizing the projects that matter most. Your even over statements are shaping a thousand smaller decisions. It’s fair to ask, Do we even need a plan? Yes, but not a plan that says what must happen, a plan that says what might happen. Scenario planning has the potential to open us up to possibilities that we might otherwise not consider."

Trechos retirados de “Brave New Work” de Aaron Dignan