New Year, Same Pressure? Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Validate Your Strategy

The first month of the new year has come and gone. Maybe you kicked off with a bang, or maybe January just… happened while you were still recovering from the holiday buzz. Either way, the pressure to deliver those annual results is officially back on. Targets are looming, dashboards are blinking, and your inbox is already plotting against you.

But before you shift to “fifth gear,” here’s a thought: have you validated your commercial strategy yet?

Strategy: Not Just a Checkbox

Crafting a commercial strategy isn’t just about filling slides with impressive charts and catchy buzzwords. It’s the foundation for everything else you do. If you get it wrong, no amount of “quick wins,” motivational speeches, or last-minute heroics will fix it.

And yet, the temptation to take shortcuts is real. Recycle last year’s plan with a few tweaks? Easy. Run with the first bright idea from the loudest voice in the room? Tempting. But effective? Not so much.

Why We Skip Validation (and Why That’s a Problem)

We get it—time is scarce. There’s always another meeting, another report, another crisis disguised as “urgent.” Or maybe you’re simply unsure where to find the right data to challenge your assumptions. But here’s the kicker: skipping the validation step doesn’t save time. It just delays the moment you realize something’s off—usually when it’s much harder (and costlier) to course-correct.

The Smart Move: Step Back to Move Forward

Now, while the year is still fresh and flexible, is the perfect time to pause and ask:

• Are we solving the right problems? And is our strategy aligned with current market needs?

• Are we focusing our efforts on the market(s) that deliver the best results?

• Do we have the data to support our decisions, and justify them to all stakeholders: from employee to shareholder?

Taking this step early in the reporting year isn’t a luxury—it’s a performance hack. It helps you avoid wasted efforts, misaligned goals, and the dreaded “how-did-we-not-see-this-coming” moments in Q4.

Conclusion

Strategy isn’t a one-and-done exercise. It’s a living, breathing framework that needs regular reality checks. So before the year runs away with you, take a moment. Validate. Adjust if needed. And then go all in—knowing you’re not just busy, but busy with purpose.

Because in the end, it’s not just about how fast you move, but how sure you are of the direction you’re heading!