Common Questions

What is a tactic? A tactic is a specific action taken to try to address a situation as it relates to a specific plan (strategy). Tactics can take different shapes and forms. A tactic can be as simple as wearing a certain color, to those that are more involved such as monitoring, sanctions, or forming coalitions.

What is a strategy? Strategy involves a gathering of many decisions toward a plan including:

• Selecting key objectives and appropriate targets (people, organizations, laws, etc)
• Understanding the constituencies and resources available and needed
• Reaching a clear understanding of the specific interim goals to reach the strategy
• Deciding which tactics to use and when

How does a tactic differ from a strategy? Tactics consist of how to make a change, while strategy is deciding what change to make. Tactics are about ’the how,’ and strategies are about ’the what.’ In other words, a strategy is an approach that makes the best use of resources and other factors to secure advantage for an organization’s goal. Tactics are the means for implementing strategy. It’s the difference between a plan, and a way of accomplishing a plan.

Why is a wide range of tactics important?

1. What we know how to do influences what we think is possible to do; the tactics we have available to us can determine the strategy we choose. [more]
2. Tactics have different effects on different targets. [more]
3. Different tactics appeal to different individuals and groups. [more]
4. Tactical flexibility is a source of surprise. [more]
5. Tactics serve as a lesson about how to engage in the world. Tactics open one’s eyes to possibilities. [more]
6. Tactics are training systems for engaging others in an organization’s work. [more]

’Tactic’ isn’t a human rights term, is it? Twenty years ago, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) resisted the word ’strategy,’ which is now commonplace in NGO language and planning. Strategic planning has helped human rights organizations and other NGOs become more effective. We believe the human rights community will also benefit from incorporating ’tactics’ and tactical thinking into its language.

How long have tactics been around? A long time. More than two thousand years ago, Sun Tzu taught that strategy emerges from understanding our adversary, understanding ourselves, and understanding the terrain (where the battle will be fought). Tactics are a key component of strategy. What we can accomplish, including which tactics we know, will affect the formation of our strategy. Tactics and tactical thinking aren’t new. But consciously recognizing tactics - seeing what’s possible and forming a strategy - is the challenge facing human rights activists today.