I think that it is safe to say that most people entering the work force view strategy as some kind of mystical plan developed by all knowing executives using arcane skills. At the other end of the spectrum I don’t think that there exists a C-level executive who at least once didn’t wonder whether strategic planning wasn’t a ritualistic sham, a cosmic joke played on executives the world over. I know that I have experienced both feelings.
Archives
Adaptive Strategy Construction
In a previous post, Deconstructing Strategy, I discussed some of the difficulties in developing a strategy. In this post I present a method that has worked well for me. The philosophy behind this method is based on the two ideas that the Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, applies to business strategy and that strategies must adapt to new information and changes to the business environment.
Crisis Response Strategies
In a world of uncertainty management is constantly evaluating potential risks as they unfold and deciding how to respond.
At one end of the response spectrum is what might be called the Anglo-Saxon Fast & Furious model: ignore all risks until they become an existential threat of such dire proportions that there is only one available response and it is blatantly clear to all involved.
At the other end of the spectrum is what might be called the Asian Ancient Wisdom model: treat everything as an existential threat at all times and avoid taking any proactive decisions whatsoever lest it lead to greater danger.