The people telling you to be more strategic usually cannot define it themselves.

That is why the feedback never comes with instructions.

Strategy gets treated like a personality.
You have it or you do not.

So it shows up in your review as a verdict.
Not a skill you could actually build.

Here is what is really going on.

Strategic ability is not one trait.
It is 5 separate competencies.

Most high performers are strong in three or four of them.
Almost everyone has one that is quietly underbuilt.

That one gap is the whole problem.

Here is the mechanism:

You get promoted for the competency you are best at.
You get hired at the next level for the one you are worst at.

Weak at moving the system?
The decision gets made by people you never brought along.

Weak at adapting?
You freeze when the plan breaks.
And freezing reads as not ready.

Your strengths got you into this seat.
Your gap is what the next seat is made of.

So watch what you reach for when you feel behind.

You go back to the thing you are already best at.
You bring more analysis to a problem that needed more influence.
You get more excellent at the skill that was never the block.

A weak competency is not a life sentence.
It is buildable.