But just having a 'general direction' is not a strategy, it is just that.... a guide on the approx area to follow (note: I also assume this direction exists in a number of different dimensions or business areas, not just in one single thought or plan).
Thinking of this direction as a beam of light showing the way, it can be seen as a way of encouraging thinking (and therefore development) and illuminating a permitted path to follow.
Keeping this light analogy... you can therefore narrow the focus of the beam (e.g. constrain the development to specific direction - perhaps only for a short time to concentrate on a particular set of deliverables) or broaden it out (and therefore allowing a wider range of approaches and ideas - such as when you need a different perspective or need to diversify)
