Strategy

hey! what the hell are you doing?

“Strategy is a big-complicated thing and any
single definition could be suicidal.”

To understand the meaning behind this most used and
even more misused word, one needs to understand the
five meanings of strategy.
The lesser known 5 P’s

To understand the meaning behind this most used and
even more misused word, one needs to understand the
five meanings of strategy.

Five different ways of
looking at meaning of
strategy

Plan Strategy is a plan of action into future, telling us where we are currently,
where do we have to go and what actions in a particular order we have to
take to reach there.

Strategy is a pattern, a sort of consistency in the behavior over time.Pattern
What is
it?
I don’t know – it
just fell out of my
bum.

Both are valid definitions
organizations make plans for future
and they also evolve patterns out of their past
One can be called intended strategy and the other realized strategy.

This will be
great.
This was
great.

This will be
great.
This was
great.
Ideally a mix is followed. Some thinking ahead and some on the way learning-and-adaptations.

One’s strategy mix should depend upon one’s ability to predict unexpected events…
Oh so, there’ll be floods on
28th.
Our office is on ground floor
Let’s move to top floor!

…and need to react to unexpected events.
Oh so, there might be floods
on 28th.
Our office is on top floor
So floods don’t matter!

One extreme means no learning…
Rigid Strategy
Keep doing the same old tried but
tested things!

…other means no control.
No Strategy
Business is a fun chemistry lab, but
things explode at times!

…other means no control.
To put it differently, it should depend upon how much does one want to learn on the
way and how much control does one wants to exercise.

Another way of looking at strategy is thinking of it as a position of some
advantage. It’s about creation of a valuable and unique position.
‘Position’ is downward and outward looking.
Position

Perspective is a organization’s
fundamental way of doing things,
like, the McDonald’s way, the Tata
way or the Google way.
It can be seen as a set of values,
priorities, beliefs, behaviors,
attitudes, actions and responses.
‘Perspective’ is upward and inward
looking.
Perspective Delight customers
Invest in R&D
Entrepreneurial culture
Fast
Cost cutting
Social responsibility

Again, both are valid definitions and a mix of both is required.

Changing of position within a perspective may be easy…
Change Within Perspective

…whereas changing position while trying to maintain perspective is not
Change Outside Perspective

Google launching a printed directory is still imaginable…
Google Printed Directory

Google launching a printed directory is still imaginable…
…but imagine Google launching a restaurant!
Google Restaurant

Ploy is a specific trick intended to outwit an opponent or
competitor.
Its like playing mind games to confuse the competitor.
A company might buy land to give the impression that it intends to
expand its capacity, in order to discourage a competitor from
building a new plant
Ploy

to strategize or not to strategize?

“Strategy sets direction”
On one hand we know the path required to reach from one point to
another.

“Strategy sets direction”
On one hand we know the path required to reach from one point to
another.
On other hand it turns us blind to the unpredicted dangers on the path.

“Strategy focuses effort”
On one hand strategy helps in
focusing everyone’s effort to the
same direction.

“Strategy focuses effort”
On one hand strategy helps in
focusing everyone’s effort to the
same direction.
On other hand “Groupthink” arises
and opportunities and threats may
get unnoticed.

“Strategy defines the organization”
On one hand strategy provides a sharp and single meaning to organization.

“Strategy defines the organization”
Uhhh! So what
exactly rest of
the papers on
the table do?
On one hand strategy provides a sharp and single meaning to organization.
On other hand that sharp and single meaning could be too simple that rich
complexity may get lost.

“Strategy provides consistency”
On one hand strategy reduces
ambiguity and brings consistency in
action and results.

“Strategy provides consistency”
On one hand strategy reduces
ambiguity and brings consistency in
action and results.
On other hand it curbs creativity
and perfection over time.

To understand
when and when not to strategize,
how much and how less to strategize
and
how and how not to strategize
is the key.

Strategy

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