Don't Try to Be the Best
Why most executives wouldn’t plan a vacation the way they plan for their organizations
What Would Orwell Say?
In a recent interview (players above and below), I had a great opportunity to summarize my thinking on strategy. Thanks to the excellent host, Tim Meinhardt, I was able to cover a wide range of topics in a short time:
How working for startups is a crucible for learning about strategy;
The most misunderstood aspects of strategy development;
Why you shouldn’t try to be the best;
Good strategy is the same whether you're a commercial business or a nonprofit;
Most strategic plans are stories – not explanations – of how an organization can succeed;
Why even the best data analysis isn't enough for good strategy;
The peril of confusing plausibility with probability;
Why having to revise your strategy isn’t sign of failure;
The major causes of implementation problems;
Why most executives wouldn’t plan their vacations the way they plan for the future of their organizations;
What George Orwell might have said about the rules for good strategy.
Why Organizations Need a Strategy Audit
A large majority of strategic plans are produced by consensus, ensuring that they’re neither “strategic” nor even really “plans.”
My 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 is for those who want 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁, 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀.
The audit includes written assessment of your organization’s strategic plan and relevant financial documents, and a 90-minute video or telephone consultation with up to seven members of your staff and board.
A 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 will allow your organization – for-profit or non-profit – to candidly discuss and rapidly improve your strategic plan, vastly reducing your risk of wasted resources, internal conflict, damage to relationships with investors or donors, and unsustainable service to customers or beneficiaries.
To learn more, click on the image below or schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
