Strategy or stagnation?

It isn't often I see a review for a book and decide that I ought to buy it. I recently read a review of Jo Owen's The Death of Modern Management. The reviewer quoted the first two paragraphs of the book and I realised that the author knew what the game was - both in modern business and the church:

“The theory and practice of strategy parted company some time ago. Practising managers and strategy gurus live on different planets. Occasionally they will meet at a neutral venue, such as a conference. The strategy guru will then get on stage, wave his arms and make a brilliant and inspirational speech. After which, nothing happens.

The practising manager will return to his business and discover that the best predictor of next year’s strategy is this year’s strategy. It may be tweaked a little, but it will essentially be the same. There may be more emphasis on one channel,
customer or product group. Or perhaps the pace of globalisation will be accelerated, or perhaps a daring CEO might make an acquisition or two. But essentially, the business will maintain roughly its previous trajectory”.

Sounds familiar?