Need a fast-moving strategy?

Published 6 days ago • 2 min read

This week: If you've ever started the day wondering what to do next, you need a strategy Here's how to build your game plan in one page.

Hi Reader:

I had lots of fun this week speaking at my SCORE webinar on How to Build a Simple Strategic Plan with AI. There were so many great questions and the webinar resulted in SO MANY new subscribers to my newsletter. This was clearly a topic of interest.

For those of you who are new, welcome to the newsletter! And for those of you who couldn't attend, this week's article captures the core idea behind my presentation.

The problem I see, over and over again, is that we've been taught that strategy has to be complicated. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The more simple your strategic plan, the more likely you will successfully complete it.

Take a spin around the one-page plan and let me know what you think. (And if you need help mapping out your next move, drop me a line and let's chat.)

Monica

PS: I will be talking about AI for Strategic Planning on Wed., Feb. 11, at the Women in Business luncheon for the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce. Join the session, and I'll walk you through the one-page plan in 60 minutes or less.

Much love to Carmela and Arlene at the State of New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions for inviting me to participate!

This Week's Article

The One-Page Strategic Plan

For decades, strategic planning meant thick binders, 18-month timelines, and consultant-speak that required its own glossary. By the time the plan was finished, the market had already moved on.

That’s not strategy. That’s a company brag book in sheep’s clothing.

What I'm Reading

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🔵 All 2.4M of the UK's Creative Worker's Are at Risk: “The UK government,” writes Baroness Kidrom, “is presiding over one of the greatest acts of theft in modern history: the stripping of the UK’s creative industries of their rights, livelihoods and control over their work.” [Times Media Limited UK]

🟢 Is AI Adoption Flatlining? New research from Gallup has claimed AI adoption could actually be flatlining after an initial burst of excitement, with daily AI use up just two percentage points in Q4 2025 and frequent AI use up three percentage points quarter-over-quarter. [Tech Radar]

🟠 AI governance without strategy is setting marketing teams up to fail Marketing organizations are building AI infrastructure without strategic blueprints. They’re establishing policies to govern tools they haven’t defined use cases for, protecting data for initiatives they haven’t planned and forming committees to oversee investments they can’t measure. [MarTech]

Work With Me

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✨ Clarity Snapshot — Get unstuck, fast. In a single session, we'll define what you do best, identify the gaps costing you revenue and reputation, and walk away with three immediate momentum moves.

📈 Need a Speaker? — Give your team the tools they need to think strategically about AI. Fresh frameworks, overcoming blank page syndrome, and turning big ideas into momentum.

📘 Schedule a Free Vision Call — Ready to use AI to build a powerful, fast-moving strategy? Schedule a free Vision Call to talk where you’re going in 2026.

Hi there, I'm Monica Poling (an AI strategist, relationship marketer, and cultural tourism champion), and I help creative businesses, nonprofits, and purpose-driven organizations use AI strategically to amplify their mission without losing their voice or values. Subscribe now to receive weekly insights on AI strategy, relationship marketing, and sustainable growth—plus practical tips you can implement immediately to save time and build stronger customer connections.