A Framework for Building Strategy

Borrowed

"Many people call the guiding policy 'the strategy' and stop there. This is a mistake. Strategy is about action, about doing something. The kernel of a strategy must contain action."

From "Good Strategy, Bad Strategy" by Richard Rumelt [Book]

Learned

This Saturday, I jumped back into Hope is Not a Method by Gordon R. Sullivan during my morning run. After feeling under the weather last week and taking a break from training, I was eager to get moving again. Though I felt a bit sluggish, there's nothing quite like a long run in nature with a good book. It always gets my mind racing with ideas.

One key takeaway from this read/run session was the importance of vision, not just in crisis but as a guiding principle at all times.

"In the Book of Proverbs it is written, 'Without vision, the people perish.' Those words were written centuries ago, thousands of years before the first case was studied at the first business school, but they are as true today as they were then. When you find your organization in a crisis, you must have a vision resting on values to fall back on; otherwise your decisions will lack context. Failure to see the future can be attributed to many causes, but it always begins with a lack of vision." (Hope Is Not A Method)

Sullivan outlines a strategic architecture that resonated with recent discussions we've been having about the next phase of Barrel. Beginning to leverage this framework has already inspired new ideas and identified gaps.

Strategic Architecture

Sullivan likens it to a bridge:

• Values are the foundation, where the bridge's piers stand strong—unchanging and defining who we are and how we operate.
• Vision is the far side of the bridge, distant from our reality. As Sullivan puts it, "vision illuminates [our] purpose; it is the spark that lights everything else."
• Strategy is the bridge—a series of actions within the context of our values, connecting where we are today to where we want to be.

Key Concepts of Strategy

1. Strategic Environment: The context in which we operate, like market conditions, resources, and politics.
2. Strategic Intent: The goal we are working to achieve—more precise and quantifiable than a vision.
3. Strategic Concept: The method for achieving the strategic intent, including roles, timelines, and resources.
4. Strategic Objectives: Milestones that move us closer to our vision.

Taking Action: Campaigns are flexible tools that link strategic objectives to vision. They may not achieve the vision, but move us closer and serve as rallying points for the team, which can include people outside of the organization. Sullivan’s six guiding questions for campaigns are:

• What do we want to accomplish? (intent)
• What are we going to focus on? (concept)
• What steps are we going to take? (objectives)
• What do we have to work with? (resources)
• How will we pull it all together? (integration and synchronization)
• What do we do next? (branches and sequels)

While I’ve shared a vision with the team, it could be more articulate, and any sort of action plan has mostly lived in my head. I’ve also been reflecting on our values—do they represent the future company we aspire to build?

As I continue exploring our vision and strategy, I’m mindful of balancing where we are today with where we want to be. Sullivan captures it well: "Too much focus on today preordains tomorrow as a shallow extension of today. Too much focus on tomorrow undermines today’s foundation."

This is especially relevant when looking at our current clients and services. Some may not align with our future direction, but It’s about building new processes while continuing current relationships and creating opportunities that align with where we’re headed.

Thought

Is my vision clear enough? Am I taking the right steps to achieve it?