Scenario Planning Focal Questions: The Focus of the Focal Question Defining the scenario planning focal question is a crucial part of the scenario planning process. They act as a conceptual boundary. I see focal questions as a key determinant of strategic intent. If an organization isn’t willing to ask a concise question about the future, then they are just as unlikely to … [Read more...] about Scenario Planning Focal Questions: The Focus of the Focal Question
Scenario Planning
12 Characteristics of Strategy: What Strategy Is and Isn’t
12 Characteristics of Strategy: What Strategy Is and Isn’t In the early days of my courses on strategy, the curriculum focuses on strategic planning basics. I have developed 12 characteristics of a strategic plan because strategy is a framework for answers, not an answer. It is a definition of approach. The move from strategy to action planning requires translation into … [Read more...] about 12 Characteristics of Strategy: What Strategy Is and Isn’t
Revamp Strategy With Scenarios That Unleash Possibilities
Revamp Strategy With Scenarios That Unleash Possibilities I recently met with a large technology delivery and consulting firm in Europe, seeking new ways to define its future. After they shared their vision, I recommended that naming uncertainty would help them create an honest dialog about what they want to be and how they should go about getting there. Vision statements … [Read more...] about Revamp Strategy With Scenarios That Unleash Possibilities
Internet Search Futures: Lessons from The Pursuit of Dominance
Internet Search Futures: Lessons from The Pursuit of Dominance This strategic lesson comes from a strategy that by its very size precludes serious consideration of alternatives. Firms that don’t have the vision to challenge their own assumptions will falter. The big search firms hold strategic positions tied too closely to their own success. More importantly, to each other’s … [Read more...] about Internet Search Futures: Lessons from The Pursuit of Dominance
Washington DC Needs Strategic Play
Washington DC Needs Strategic Play As I listen to the partisan bickering in Washington D.C., I mourn the loss of ideas that could be fueled by real engagement. Rather than lob old ideas and quick fixes across the aisle like rhetoric bombs, they should be finding a common ground for strategic play. Scenario planning, at its very core, calls for the integration and … [Read more...] about Washington DC Needs Strategic Play