How to Level up your Strategy

We continue exploring modern strategy and slippery trap doors you can fall into.

Mastering strategy is the hidden craft of great CEOs, but most get it soterribly wrong (as I outlined in last week’s editions).

Why?

To a fool with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

To a leader without knowledge of good thinking, “strategy” looks like throwing spaghetti on the wall.

But fear not, mindful CEO.

Here is thou antidote.

These are the 5 must-know reads I most often recommend when revising strategy with executives.

Why these books?

Threefold:

• These models sharpen your thinking.

• They give you a vocabulary to complement your intuition. 

• Their perspectives help you to avoid trapdoors
  

  Study them to master the art of strategic thinking and execution:

1. Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works

The smart one: Learn a proven framework for making strategic choices that drive long-term success.

by A.G. Lafley & Roger L. Martin

2. Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters

The easy to get option: Understand how to distinguish strong strategies from weak ones and build a playbook for effective decision-making.

by Richard Rumelt

3. The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business

The No-brainer: Discover why a healthy organizational culture is the ultimate competitive advantage.

by Patrick Lencioni

4. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors

The OG. Equip yourself with Porter’s classic frameworks to analyze your market and outmaneuver competitors.

by Michael E. Porter

5. Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant

The Nintendo Alternative: Break free from the red ocean of competition by creating entirely new market spaces.

by W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne

Disclaimer:

You guessed it.

These books never replace experience.

They, however, supplement it.

Experience without reflection won’t make you grow.

And only parading those models without experience is like having swords in your cellar collecting dust.

You want “smart models” and 2pac style street-smarts.

Let me know what I’m missing from this short list or where you would like more support.

Yours,

P.S. Leading is hard.

Here is how I can support you to lead yourself and your organization:

1. A la Carte Executive Training:

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2. The Yearly Reflection Space for Leaders:

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3. A Beautiful Mind for Executives:

My virtual “A Beautiful Mind Meditation Course” for Executives. Train here.

4. The CEO Playbook Library:

My CEO Playbooks library features the best management and leadership theory. Exclusive access here.

PPS: And because you deserve it - here is your bonus.

My 10 “Most Popular Mini Leadership Guides”:

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