The Strategist Workshop

I just returned from Rhode Island, where I attended “The Strategist” workshop, which was conducted by Alan Weiss, Ph.D. It was simply outstanding.

Here are some of my takeaways:

1. Strategy is the what, tactics is the how
2. Planning kills strategy. Strategy is top down, planning is bottom up.
3. Strategy starts with the end desire. Paint a picture of the future.
4. Being good at what you do trumps being at the right place.
5. The key to strategy is to make enough good decisions, not one perfect decision.
6. Strategy is organized serendipity
7. Strategy is a continual process, not an annual event.
8. Ambiguity is the norm.
9. Process visual charts of the Strategy Quadrant, The Strategic Profile and Risk /Reward Ratio which I will publish shortly.

How do you recognize a good strategy?

1. Anyone in the company is able to talk about it.
2. Executives in the company held directly responsible for implementation
3. Executives constantly looking and reviewing its effectiveness.

Lastly, some points of interest:

• If IBM were still a punch card company they would have been out of business many years ago. They are in the information exchange business.
• Steve Jobs: “We wait for the next big thing and we then jump at it”