There is no greater enemy to strategy than “active inertia.”
I caught the term in passing while listening to a former bond company CEO talk about the pitfalls of the modern economy.
The term speaks for itself. But to be more precise, we’re talking about activity without progress. Strategy that doesn’t advance. Anywhere-but-forward movement.
Why is this so dangerous? Because it is the subtle psychological lie that tells us “all is well.” It dodges the reality that progress comes with costs. It permits smart, sharp people a pass when it comes to the pain that real strategy demands. And it lets us slide and coast and shuffle until the adversary shows up and changes everything.