Major League Baseball’s annual spring training means the welcoming back of warmer weather, the smell of freshly mown grass and another year of the Chicago Cubs not winning the World Series. Men making millions of dollars a year, the best in the world, invest approximately six weeks to refresh on the basic skills of the game. When is the last time your team refreshed on the basics of business strategy? When is the last time your team had a… READ MORE

In the constant battle to keep up with the competition, managers often react immediately to other’s tactics by rolling out similar tactics of their own. Instead of thinking strategically about their next moves, they abandon the plan and step up to the wheel to play another round of tactical roulette. Their aim is to reduce the perceived gap between what the competition is doing and what they are doing. Little do they realize that the gap is the… READ MORE

Here’s a quick quiz you can share with folks in your group to see how strategic people are (answers follow the quiz): 1. At the heart of business strategy is: A. The intelligent allocation of limited resources. B. Distributing resources across all potential growth opportunities. C. Working to be better and faster than the competition. 2. Successful business strategy is about: A. Being better than the competition. B…. READ MORE

February’s combination of snowdrifts and Valentine’s Day seems like the appropriate time to respond to some of the most pressing reader letters regarding strategy. So here goes: Dear Strategy Guy: The SVP of our Division requires us to fill out a 40-slide PowerPoint template, which we then turn into a 20-page written strategic plan. Problem is, the plan basically sits on a shelf collecting dust the rest of the year and we don’t really use it…. READ MORE

As the cool, white fog covers the ground on Halloween, beware the creatures lurking in the shadows of your company’s hallways. Nestled amongst the darkened offices is a single light, perhaps a candlelight, continuing to burn deep into the night. And there in that laboratory of an office, rising from the PowerPoint slides of Hell comes a creature pieced together from differing goals, unclear objectives, and zombie-like tactics. A monster is being… READ MORE

The two terms “strategy” and “tactics” are misused, confused and abused in many different ways. The difference between strategy and tactics is often described as “strategy is long-term and tactics are short-term.” While the two terms may adopt these characteristics at certain times, this is an inaccurate and incomplete way of explaining their meanings. Strategy and tactics are both how you will achieve your goals and objectives. Strategy is… READ MORE

Take a close look at your organization’s strategy. Is it truly a strategy? Or is it a goal masquerading as a strategy? When Yahoo and Microsoft announced their web-search deal, Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz said, “Our strategy as a company is growing audience and enhancing our display-advertising business. That is what really makes sense.” What really doesn’t make sense is that Ms. Bartz identified their goals as their strategy. To help… READ MORE