What is strategy? What is a strategy? To be effective at developing strategy, and strategies, we need to be clear what constitutes a strategy, and what does not. We need clear models of strategy to test our strategy statements against them. (By the way a strategy is not a plan!) If we fail to be clear when we state a strategy, then others have no chance of implementing it. These posts make clear what is a strategy and what is not a strategy.
Browse and explore the various articles below...
by Phil Jones | Updated 23 Feb, 2022 | Strategy, Thought Provoker Newsletters, Thought provokers, What is strategy
My irregular newsletter covers a wide range of ways of looking at your Strategy. This one covers: Some common, yet inadequate, views of strategy: often necessary: never sufficient…Typical characteristics or “A strategy”So, what is “Strategy”?Strategy as a...
by Phil Jones | Updated 30 May, 2020 | What is strategy
What do people mean when they refer to strategy as a Hypothesis? Why should you treat strategy as a hypothesis? How does it help the strategy process? What are the different types of strategy hypotheses? This article explains the thinking behind strategy...
by Phil Jones | Updated 30 May, 2020 | What is strategy
When developing a strategy I believe you need an argument. Actually good strategy needs two arguments. Strategy needs an argument that explains the underlying thinking behind the strategy. Argument as in explanation. Good Strategy needs an argument amongst the...
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 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 15 Mar, 2018 | What is strategy
A powerful and useful view of strategy is strategy as a persistent pattern of behaviour. When a client tells me “We don’t have a strategy”, I don’t believe them. I use this approach to tease out what their really strategy is, or has been. ...