Security is the degree of resistance to, or protection from, harm. It applies to any vulnerable and asset, such as a person, dwelling, community, nation, or organization.

As noted by the Institute for Security and Open Methodologies (ISECOM) in the OSSTMM 3, security provides “a form of protection where a separation is created between the assets and the threat.” These separations are generically called “controls,” and sometimes include changes to the asset or the threat.

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” by Benjamin Franklin

Planning (also called forethought) is the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to achieve a desired goal. It involves the creation and maintenance of a plan, such as psychological aspects that require conceptual skills. There are even a couple of tests to measure someone’s capability of planning well. As such, planning is a fundamental property of intelligent behaviour.

Also, planning has a specific process and is necessary for multiple occupations (particularly in fields such as management, business & retirement, etc.). In each field, there are different types of plans that help companies and individuals achieve efficiency and effectiveness.  An important, albeit often ignored aspect of planning, is the relationship it holds to forecasting.  Forecasting can be described as predicting what the future will look like, whereas planning predicts what the future should look like for multiple scenarios.  Planning, combines forecasting of possible scenarios that may happen in the future with preparation of how to react to those scenarios if and when they were to happen.

Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία stratēgia, “art of troop leader; office of general, command, general ship”) is a high-level plan to achieve one or more goals in conditions of uncertainty.  In the sense of the “art of the general”, which included several subsets of skills including “tactics”, siege craft, logistics etc., the term came into use in the 6th century C.E. in East Roman terminology, and was translated into Western vernacular languages in the 18th century.  From then until the 20th century, the word “strategy” came to denote “a comprehensive way to try to pursue political ends, including the threat or actual use of force, in a dialectic of wills” in a military conflict, in which both adversaries interact.

Strategy is important because the resources available to achieve these goals are usually limited.  Strategy generally involves setting goals, determining actions to achieve the goals, and mobilizing resources to execute the actions.  A strategy describes how the ends (goals) will be achieved by the means (resources). The senior leadership of an organization is generally tasked with determining strategy. Strategy can be intended or can emerge as a pattern of activity as the organization adapts to its environment or competes in the market place.  It involves activities such as strategic planning and strategic thinking.

Henry Mintzberg from McGill University defined strategy as “a pattern in a stream of decisions” to contrast with a view of strategy as planning, while Max McKeown (2011) argues that “strategy is about shaping the future” and is the human attempt to get to “desirable ends with available means”. Dr. Vladimir Kvint defines strategy as “a system of finding, formulating, and developing a doctrine that will ensure long-term success if followed faithfully.”