The summiting analogy to strategy design
Overcoming a business challenge in today's fast-changing world can appear as climbing a summit. The task seems enormous, terrifyingly complex and covered in uncertainty but also breathtaking when reached...
Then again, just going for it without an articulated strategy and execution plan considering all determining factors, could be subject to swift failure...
Moreover, nothing will ever be certain along the way and conditions can change fast and turn for disaster when unnoticed or not acted upon. All should thus be accounted for to prosper...
... as is summiting
a mountain.
Approaching strategy design like a mountaineer
Approaching strategy design as a mountaineer
Scope
- Understand the past and current industry and business state, its levers, challenges and the dependencies in play.
- Define crisply the business challenge and key strategic questions to be answered, the assessment's overall goal and team contribution.
"... As if you would flip the mountain and truly understand its routes, conditions, e.a. based upon all info you can collect but also your team's competences, the required material and an aligned goal. (No joke, the latter is not about summiting but always about returning safely home)".
Solve
- Lay out all potential options as a configuration of determining factors.
- Assess their potential outcomes given goal contribution, assumptions made and risk mitigation.
- Decide on direction, guiding principles, evaluation method and pivotal moments.
"Summiting a mountain is not a matter of just picking a route but all potential options are considered against a wide set of determining factors (mountain conditions, weather, required material, team competences, etc.) and thus a winning route, evaluation method and contingency plans are defined given the aligned goal."
Set up
- Articulate the chosen strategic direction into a compelling narrative for internal and external use and a continuously monitored execution plan with detailed objectives, initiatives and accountability.
- Report back on wins, losses, validation and optimisation.
"Aside from choosing a route and getting hyped up about it, the plan is built to make the ascent in which tasks are listed and allocated. Next, a 3x3 framework is applied to manage the uncertainty of it and will continuously be evaluated upon new info on conditions, material and team state right before and during the climb to decide on pushing forward or returning home".
Beliefs to design strategy for success...
Simplification by design
Complexity and uncertainty are at the heart of strategy design. Navigating them and boiling them down to a simplified and structured approach is what makes me tick.
Evidence-based solutions
Strategies are designed based on thorough research and analysis, ensuring issues and dependencies are properly identified so the designed strategy is grounded in data and insights.
Collaborative methodology
I am not an islander nor the latest houseplant in the office but work collaboratively with clients, their stakeholders and teams to ensure all needs are considered and buy-in is built.
Long-term result oriented
Challenges are met with creative problem-solving, to place sustainable and tangible results at the core of the designed strategy, future-proofing the company's success.
Open-minded & iterative delivery
Adapting to a rapidly changing environment requires a flexible and iterative approach to strategy design. By considering all possible future directions and building upon existing knowledge, organisations can pivot and adjust their plans based on new info.