Strategy
Most growth businesses do not have a strategy problem so much as a strategic clarity problem. Everyone is busy, but not everyone is busy on the few things that will move the company forward this quarter and this year. Strategy, done well, is the discipline of deciding what you will not do, writing the rest down on a single page, and then checking against it every ninety days.
This section collects our articles on building and keeping a strategy that the whole leadership team can see, understand and act on. They draw on the Scaling Up and Rockefeller Habits methodologies that we have used with hundreds of companies, but they are written for leaders of UK scale-ups rather than for strategists.
Running the planning process. Why have a strategic planning meeting? is the place to start if your planning days have become status updates. It explains what a good session produces and who needs to be in the room. How to focus on growth initiatives tackles the problem that follows: protecting time for the projects that matter once the plan is agreed.
The one page strategic plan. The one page strategic plan is the tool at the centre of our work. It puts core values, purpose, long-term targets, annual goals and quarterly priorities on one sheet so that nobody in the business can be unclear about what matters. If you have never seen one, read that first.
Long-term vision. A ten to twenty-five year goal is what gives the quarterly plan its direction. The pitfalls to avoid when developing your BHAG covers the common mistakes, and game-changing BHAGs that drive strategy and team alignment shows what a good one looks like in practice.
Measuring what matters. Strategy without numbers is a wish. Harnessing the power of KPIs and OKRs explains how the two frameworks differ, when to use each, and how to keep the scorecard short enough that people actually look at it.
Strategy under pressure. Navigating business cycles and the common mistakes leaders make when developing a business strategy are useful reads when conditions change faster than the plan.
Thinking strategically as a team. Strategy is not the MD's job alone. How to get everyone in your company thinking strategically and from planning to strategy look at how to spread that thinking through the business, while how scenario planning drives growth in uncertain times offers a practical way to prepare for more than one future.
Browse the latest articles below, or move across to our leadership, team and implementation sections. When you are ready to put a strategy in place with your own leadership team, our facilitated scale-up workshops and intensive VIP days are built around exactly this process.
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Provocative thinking
Part of my job is to provoke client’s thinking. Here are 10 predictions about the future I have discussed some of my clients over the last few months in coaching or strategy planning sessions, to challenge and provoke their thinking:
Are your company values bulls*t?
“Be customer focused” vs. “Deliver WOW through service.” Which of these two company values stands out the most? Which one will you never forget?
4 Customer experience trends to reflect on
From talking to both clients and many businesses over the last year one thing is clear: How to best serve customers as a company is in a state of flux.
How to get everyone in your company thinking strategically….
“Good ideas can come from anywhere.” Most of us recognise the wisdom in this quote, yet we still see strategy as the realm of a company’s senior leaders.
How to plan for 2021…..
How can any business go through a 2021 planning process when there is so much uncertainty due to the ongoing pandemic, economic crisis and BREXIT ?
Digital Innovations That Today’s Consumers Look For
No matter the industry you’re in, adapting to these uncertain times is the key to survival.
How to define a company’s purpose……
There are a host labels out there that can describe a company’s direction? Do we really need a “purpose” to add to this list?
How do you nurture strategic thinking throughout your company?
“Good ideas can come from anywhere.” Most of us recognise the wisdom in this quote, yet we still see strategy as the realm of a company’s senior leaders.
How to get your employees engaged with your strategy…
Have you ever been asked “Why are we doing this initiative?” or “Why did we stop focusing on this activity?”
Why Strategic Planning is Important
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” – Lewis Carroll, as paraphrased by George Harrison
Key Steps to Strategic Planning – Part 1
To stay on the growth path in 2020, alignment on a vision, strategy, and key initiatives is essential.
5 Reasons why your strategic plan won’t work
Time again, businesses hold strategy days, plan retreats and spend money on strategic planning sessions that don’t produce any lasting results.
How to stay on track…..
You’re sitting on a plane from London to New York. How much of the time is it sticking to the flight path? 90 percent of the time? 70 percent of the time? 50 percent of the time? The correct answer is never.
The Discipline of Annual Planning
As we approach the end of the year many executive teams are gathering in conference rooms for the yearly ritual of annual planning. Why is this such an important ritual?
Save time by recruiting great managers
In a recent survey, Gallup found that one in two employees have left a job due to a manager. So why are managers such a problem in today’s workplace?
Why Have a Strategic Planning Meeting?
The more I facilitate strategic planning meetings, the more I recognise the challenges that business leaders face wanting to create change and a develop a new future for your organisation.
How Often Should I do Strategy Planning?
I often encounter questions about the frequency that businesses should update their strategic plan, such as: how often should strategic planning be done or how often should we update our business strategy? The answer is: it depends!
5 Investment Trends Backed by High Profile CEOs in 2017
Modern investment trends are determined by a lot of factors.
Are legacy beliefs holding you back?
When I was recently in the US I came across an article in the Wall Street Journal entitled, “McDonald’s Knows it’s Losing the Burger Battle – Can it Come Back”.
Insightful questions for high growth companies
Whether we’re conscious of it or not, every management decision is motivated by a desire to find answers to very specific questions.
Ways to Boost Productivity by Improving Your Workspace
Recently I have become increasingly aware how much the work environment can affect a team’s productivity.
Planning for 2017
It is staggering to think that only 8% of UK businesses have a documented plan.
The Key to Growth
The key to growth is rarely found in finding the “right” answer. Answers change because the environment changes.
How to prevent burn out
It is great to have goals. They give us focus, helping us know what to say no and yes to.