by Phil Jones | Updated 14 Mar, 2018 | Language of strategy
If we are to talk about strategy is it worth understanding the origins of the word strategy and some of its variations. The origins of the word strategy lies in Ancient Greece The origins of the word strategy and its use, comes from the ancient Greek. They used it in...
by Phil Jones | Updated 30 May, 2020 | Language of strategy
Whilst watching a nature programme, the narrator described how “the film crew strategically placed the cameras to watch the wildlife”. What did he mean? Is being strategic, simply Strategy as ‘we thought about it’? Can we tell...
by Phil Jones | Updated 30 May, 2020 | Language of strategy, What is strategy
Over the years I have read many strategy documents. Some have over-simplified their strategy to the extent that it is hard to tell what to do. What they write down sounds impressive, but is not a strategy. What are the common strategy simplification...
by Phil Jones | Updated 30 May, 2020 | Language of strategy
“You can strategically add strategy to any strategic sentence to give it any strategic meaning you strategically want it to strategically have.” Yes indeed folks, many people add strategy to their sentences to make them sound important. But...
by Phil Jones | Updated 15 Mar, 2018 | What is strategy
How do good strategists think and what does it mean to “be strategic”? Is there an art to being strategic and strategic thinking, or can it be learnt? it is clear to us that being strategic requires three core pieces. For many successful strategists,...
by Phil Jones | Updated 15 Mar, 2018 | What is strategy
A really useful way to test any strategy document or statement is to ask, does our strategy work as a frame for decision making? Does this strategy statement guide and inform decisions? To think of strategy as a frame for decision making might seem an unusual, but...
by Phil Jones | Updated 20 Jun, 2018 | What is strategy
I first used the phrase strategy by hope and magic when I was asked to review a ‘strategic plan’ for a client. There were lots of statements about improved performance and lower costs. However, when I searched for what would change and drive those...
by Phil Jones | Updated 15 Mar, 2018 | What is strategy
We occasionally see an approach to strategy which runs “They are doing this….. we need to do that as well”. The danger is that this sounds like copy cat strategy, and probably is. Copy cat strategy is dangerous and should be avoided. Doing the same thing is not...
by Phil Jones | Updated 30 May, 2020 | Language of strategy
What is a strategic objective. Well, to start with a strategic objective is NOT a strategy. Having a strategic objective is not sufficient to make a strategy. I don’t care if you call it an objective, a strategic objective, a goal or even a vision. ...
