Don’t plan for the future, plan for the past
Strategy is traditionally seen as a forward-looking exercise. This stands to reason since, in the words of my pal Robin Bonn, every strategy is essentially a “bet” that a certain course of action will work out in the future. We think that X is going to happen and therefore we are going to do Y […]
A definition of insight that’s actually useful
Really you’ve got to feel sorry for insight. This poor little word is so abused and misunderstood that it’s a wonder that it’s managed to survive this long. But then perhaps that’s its strength? It’s so nebulous that it can mean whatever you want it to mean – and nobody understands it quite well enough […]
Beyond success: the anatomy of greatness
Consider the gap represented by these comparisons: HP vs. Apple James Milner vs. Eric Cantona Avatar vs. 2001: A Space Odyssey Wladimir Klitschko vs. Muhammad Ali In each case, you have two things that are both incredibly successful, and yet the latter examples possess a quality that the former – even if they’re more successful […]
The inherent danger of strategy
“The opposite of success is not failure but mediocrity”. I was really struck by this quote by Michael E. Raynor as I think it reveals an important principle in strategic decision making. His point was that strategic behaviour – defined as utter commitment to a specific path – not only increases your chances of massive […]
Product Market Fit – not just for tech brands
Following a webinar I did the other day for Young Foodies, a viewer got in touch with me. He commented that it was great to see “Product Market Fit” – a tech concept – applied to the world of food and drink. This struck me, because it wasn’t something I had intended. However he is […]
There are only two types of company – which is yours?
People love processes. So it’s a shame that strategy doesn’t really have one. As we’ve explored in some depth before, there is no set technique by which you can figure out your path to growth. There is no reliable model for creating uncontested market space. There is no algorithm or formula for discovering where your […]
The hidden choice between growth and survival
Life boils down to choices. I like the way Epictetus put it, which was: “You are not your body body and hairstyle, but your capacity for choosing well. If your choices are beautiful, so too will you be”. Unfortunately, choices are by definition hard. An “easy choice” between something unambiguously good, and something unambiguously bad, is […]
Before ideas, comes action
In the past 5 weeks, I feel like original thoughts have slowed to a trickle. Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar. Normally as I go about things, new ideas and theories are constantly bubbling up. Sometimes I’ll get the urge to write something in the most inconvenient of moments – whilst driving, having coffee with someone, trying to go […]
Strategy can never be “scientific”
When you’re facing a task that doesn’t have a solution that you know will work at the outset. There is no “strategy” to fixing a muffler, or flying a jet, or tying pigtails; there is just a method. Strategy is reserved for the many walks of life where there are no neat and tidy solutions […]
Break point: an introduction to the strategic lifecycle
Most companies, yours included no doubt, make things up as they go along. In general, unpretty as it is, this is no bad thing. By behaving haphazardly and reactively you are also behaving experimentally: trying various things out, some of which will fit, and some of which won’t. If the ratio of hits to misses […]