Minimum Viable Planning

Minimum Viable Planning

There may seem little point in medium-term 1-3 year strategic planning during a crisis. But decisions taken today have ramifications down the line, so having a plan with stated objectives is helpful to making the right ones. The problem is that standard strategic...
Finding a New Direction

Finding a New Direction

Business strategy projects often begin full of curiosity and enthusiasm to develop a powerful new plan but end with an incremental set of objectives and initiatives based on the current model. Why is that? What happens during the course of converting analysis into...
Slow strategy

Slow strategy

Recently I’ve noticed several consulting firms promoting accelerated strategy development methodologies with names like ‘Rapid Strategy’ and ‘Competitive Advantage in 3 Days’. They follow a similar format: 2-3 day executive workshop Start...
Find time for strategy

Find time for strategy

It’s hard to find time for strategy in today’s hyperactive environment. The corporate world is entranced by an agile credo that prizes speed and activity over dialogue and ideas. As a result, expectations about strategy are changing: executives want...
Beware of strategy unicorns

Beware of strategy unicorns

A decline in performance will often lead a company to review its strategy. The assumption is that a new strategy will turn things around. Built into this is the idea that there is something missing from the strategy – if management can find an insight or new business...