A few good thoughts on strategy from some successful people…
Strategy is first and foremost about the endgame….it’s pretty natural for me to be thinking five or six steps ahead… L.A. Reid, CEO of Epic Records
Indeed, strategy is trying to think out the game, and imagine how current moves will lead to others, that will lead to still others, and so on. Some will complain this is just guesswork and hunches. And so they are. But intuition really stems from a habit of mind, from practicing the art of trying to think ahead.
With strategy, the key thing is the ability to diagnose the opportunity of the time …(and then act on that opportunity). Doris Kearns Goodwin, historian, author of Team of Rivals
Notice that Goodwin does not say “diagnose the problem.” Good leaders and strategists quickly move beyond trouble-shooting. They are about moving to the next thing and not about lamenting the old, broken or lost.
There’s this fantastic quote from Peter Drucker: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I spend about 80% of my time thinking about the culture of our company – culture is our strategy. Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group
Indeed, culture matters. Organizations that are unified on principles and objectives, that tack to the same goal, that operate with mutual respect … these are the organizations that succeed. They win big on their own initiative and prove to be the most resilient when confronting major setbacks.
The old saying is strategy is great, but execution is better. Well, execution is impossible without strong culture.
The beauty of games is that one can try strategies and refine them without serious consequences… Klaus Teuber, creator of the board game The Settlers of Catan
Chances for success improve dramatically when leaders and business teams set aside time to test their plans. War games, simulations, “black hat” exercises -whatever you want to call them. They force organizations to confront reality without the risk of reality.
They also help ingrain the habit of thinking out and thinking ahead. So, if you aren’t gaming your plans, you should!