Strategy

What it is

A repeatable framework that targets specific and meaningful problems, employs effective policies, and prescribes coherent action.

Why it's important

Mitigates obstacles between where we are and the vision. Creates and maintains the underpinnings of a brand. Disciplined adherence to strategy ensures that we move toward and attain the vision.

When you need it

• When you create a vision.
• When you encounter a new problem.
• When you conclude that your strategy is ineffective.

How to get it

• Understand. Identify the problems, gaps, and obstacles between you and the vision. Consider the governing principles and direction. Find out the whole story, the history, and the brutal facts.
• Establish policy. What proven principles best apply to the problems at hand? Set boundaries and easy to understand rules that make it easy to know what you will and won't do.
• Design the moves. Use analogies. Exploit opportunities (and weaknesses of the opponent). Leverage strengths. Be creative, but sensible and efficient.

Examples

• The Battle of Cannae
• Chess: win the game, then work backward to strategies
• Jack Lengyel (We Are Marshall): didn't have a strong offensive line, so he ran the veer, helped the kids get through, and kept playing
• AtTask: focus on the front-line worker to drive adoption of project management (validated 4x and 5x adoption by the two key personas)
• P.T. Barnum ("the noblest art is that of making others happy"): make people happy, because people are fascinated with the exotic and the macabre, so recruit the exotic and macabre and bring it to the people
• BambooHR: Complete Solution, Top Quality, Proven Principles, Actual Results

Resources

• Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
• Great by Choice

The competency

You have the ability to take the vision and infer/outline the tactical steps necessary to attain the dream. Specifically, you 1) identify the persistent problems that bar the way toward the vision, 2) create effective policies and employ proven tools that address the problems/exploit opportunities, and 3) outline specific (even repeatable) action that creates a path to/ensures the vision.

Outputs and deliverables

A path toward the vision in terms of persistent problems to solve, policies that address the problems, and coherent action toward the vision. The strategy should be reviewed, revised (as needed), and validated quarterly. Include these assets:

• A kernel of product strategy: the problems, the policies, and the coherent action
• Alignment with / from all key stakeholders
• A roadmap (a high level ordered list/schedule of steps toward the vision for the next 1-3 years)

Outcomes

• Internal alignment in terms of understanding and resonance
• Validation that the strategy is working, in terms of the product's ROI framework and KPIs