Is 'Bigger' All There Is? Reinventing & Rethinking Strategy - Edition 1

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves” Sir Edmund Hillary (July 20, 1919-Jan. 11, 2008)

#Strategystorming [Rethink & Reinvent For Strategic Thinkers]

Welcome to Strategystorming - the new thinking place where we become better strategic thinkers, by applying strategy here and now, sharing what strategy is, and how best to realise it and craft it into remarkable experiences. We're on a mission to rethink & reinvent strategy, how to steer it and seek out the future, and how to make it simpler, and more accessible to everyone in how we learn and implement strategy, as well as how we teach strategy.

Strategystorming is a combination of: 

Thinking

Storytelling 

World-building

...and let's not forget having a bit of fun around it as well, because we're emoji & meme agnostic 🤩.

It's like brainstorming, but BETTER, with clear outcomes and objectives, and putting together something that you can then actually use. Some may say it's an evolution of brainstorming, but we're just here to capture it as something useful and practical for everyone to use. Strategystorming is adding gameplay into how we think, create and build strategies that are robust, giving us the clarity, certainty, and competencies that we need to know along this pathway.

Strategystorming is the new wave of developing strategy, whether you're a business strategist, entrepreneur, strategy consultant or practitioner - it will give you the thinking, tools, and know-how to craft strategy like never before.

We're here to make it short & simple as well with this newsletter - so focussing on snippets of what's really important. Strategy doesn't need to be complicated, and inaccessible, nor should our knowledge around it be limited.

What we're bringing to divulge, dissect & discuss in detail:

1. Going slow to go fast is the only way to move from Good to Great. Here are the beliefs that we are challenging, and where it will bring you. Where are you headed and how will you know when you get there?
2. Where to start with strategy & more importantly, where to finish. How do you prepare resources, time, people, and money to be able to take off and actually get to your destination?
3. What got us here will get us there - the science of reverse engineering what you've done and how best to combine it with refreshing thinking. We don't want to reinvent the wheel, nor learn how to ride a bicycle again - so what you know and do up to this point is something to treasure and leverage. Are you ready to ride your bicycle again?
4. Seeing, thinking & doing strategy is much easier said than done, but there's a reason for that. We'll digest how to think strategically, and what your strategic dynamics profile means to being able to solve problems and challenges strategically.
5. What does the 'ensei' expedition do to change my perspective, and what thinking & tools will I need to bring along this pathway?

Is Bigger All There Is?

We often hear the expression of "Growth". It seems to be the panacea, problem-solver, and remedy medicine for almost everything in the business world. If only we could grow more, if only we could scale more, if only we could...

What if we replaced the word 'growth' or 'scale' with 'better' & 'greater'?

How do we reinvent & rethink & evolve what we're doing & how we're thinking?

Did you know that one of the many synonyms for Growth is Evolve?

What if we also looked at Better and Greater? From Good to Greater. From an evolutionary process. Would that better define what we mean by growth? VP of Growth becomes the VP of Better; the Director of Growth Marketing becomes the Director of Greater Marketing; 'How to scale & grow your business' becomes 'How to Become Greater at Business'.

It's like the hollow & vapid term of "Next level". What is actually meant by this? How do I know when I get there? Has anyone actually gotten to their 'next level' and reported back? What do you do after that level? What comes next?

Of course, I'm just poking fun at this, and the language we use, but what is it intrinsically that we should be focussing on?

PS. Topher Morrison created a great video on some other 'words' that are being used well past their expiration date (love the "next level" lol). Take a look here:

Companies need to focus on becoming BETTER instead of simply growing BIGGER. They are not the same thing.

And, we know they are not the same thing. Growth for growth's sake is not better. Bigger is not better. Better is better. Better is better than good. Let's go Greater!

Good and bigger are not ‘good enough'.

We often look at the concept of "growth" as a saviour for business. It isn't. And neither are a lot of things.

The world has shifted. Has your strategy? This is where we will guide you to create Your Winning Strategy

We need Greater, but not just "Greater Than >"

We need to think higher; elevate our thinking, and frame our challenges differently, but with a clear foundation of the trials and tribulations of all that we have done and become.

^thinking [greater thinking]

^play [greater play]

^inspiration [greater inspiration]

^design [greater design]

^Strategy [greater strategy]

We don't need to 'scale' we need to slice through the noise and make better strategic decisions.

We don't need more content, we need more strategic and better content.

We don't need more leads, we need better leads and better relationships.

We need to be greater; do better; think better.

What's better than brainstorming? Strategystorming.

^^^^

We don't need to rapidly accelerate the growth of your business; we need to be greater at delivery.

We don't need another off-the-shelf 'framework'; we need a personalised approach that is greater because of us and what we put into it for each of us.

We don't need another technology platform; we need to be greater at utilizing our tech platforms.

We don't need 'transformation'; we need a better way of expressing the journey, the story that we are creating with our strategies.

We don't need another "Growth Strategy"; we need a greater strategy with the root understanding of growth, and 'why'.

Strategy is not a to-do list. A to-do list would never have landed men on the moon, explored the poles, or journeyed around the world and across new terrains. 

What is the cost of doing nothing? Here's how to get smarter at strategy.

Enjoy the first edition of #Strategystorming - The Newsletter, and please subscribe to future regular editions here!

Doyle Buehler

P.S. We have a Strategystorming Strategy Mastery Training coming up - Find out if it may be right for you here.

#SmartStrategy [Designing Strategy]

How do you find a hole? Do you look for the hole itself, or what surrounds the hole? 😂 

And how do you find a hole that is not there and one that you can't actually see?

How do you find a hole if you don't even know that one exists?

We've all heard the expression that we don't sell a drill, what we're selling is the hole. It's the "hole", moving towards the outcome that we want, not the tool that does it. 

Your audience doesn't want the drill, but rather they want the hole... so they can put in a mount to hang a picture, to connect that TV cable... yah, basic stuff.

Yet, the hole is the medium through which they can activate your audience’s true need, their true want. Their end goal. Their vision, for those in business. 

It is also the absence of the hole, the 'missing hole' that can give us even more clarity.

It's what we don't see at first glance, what we don't recognise when we first look at the problem. Once we see it, the power of it really resonates as a unique & clear solution.

In creating powerful strategies in my talks and learning sessions, I speak about the “missing holes” strategy [and the fact that I used to be an aerospace engineer and pilot, really bring this concept ‘home’ for me].

In WWII not all of the fighters/bombers were making it back to base after their mission, as they were getting shot down over Europe. Hoping to correct the problem, on the aircraft that returned, they mapped out all of the bullets that had hit the aircraft, creating a diagram with a bunch of holes on the aircraft. 

A simple problem with a simple solution, right?

The next 'normal' thought was simply to add armour to protect the aircraft in the groupings of the bullet holes. Makes sense, right?

The logic seems pretty sound-proof at first glance - protect the aircraft that received the damage…the armour will protect it and it will make it back for another mission.

Except - the aircraft that were NOT returning were the ones that were shot at, and ALSO had bullet holes that caused catastrophic damage to the key areas of the aircraft. These aircraft unfortunately crashed, and never returned to base. Yet, back at base, the engineers & mechanics couldn’t “see” these holes…

Now, we’re of course not in a war zone, but this concept is quite foundational and can create that extra level of clarity.

This is where “positioning” can help ensure everything is aligned properly around your #digital environment - on the site, socials and with campaigns. 

It can paint an entirely different picture of what your audience is actually doing, and what you need to do to engage or adapt so that you can deliver everything that you are capable of.

Your audience is looking at search terms, and exhibiting behaviours that tell you where the holes are. AND, they also clearly show what they are NOT doing, what they are NOT searching for, what behaviours they are NOT exhibiting. You've probably heard the expression that, like the 'solution' to the plane problem:

Strategy also tells you what not to do.

Do you agree? 

Strategy is often what you need to do, but also what you don't need to do. It tells you what you see, but also what you don’t see.

Have you identified and leveraged the missing holes in your strategy? What does your Growth Pathway Strategy look like for your business? Have you decided what not to do?

#StrategyStagecraft [Playing With Strategy & Your Strategy Toolbox]

You don't "Learn to write" a business strategy -

You need to learn how to CREATE one

Clarity doesn't come from a number of words - 

Clarity comes from 'seeing' what you CAN focus on

What if you could actually 'see' the strategy that you create? Give this a try and let me know what you 'see'.

#SteeringStrategy [Navigating to Clarity, Certainty, Competency]

Are the music & entertainment industries tone-deaf? Do they actually care about the future of their industry?

They are only suffering because they chose to do nothing about it ...not one that is at the mercy of the 'environment'; mud & viruses.

First it was Covid and the multiple cancellations of Blues Festival over the previous 2 years, then it was Climate related in 2022 with cancellations of Splendour in the Grass due to a deluge of torrential rain. When are they going to learn how to create a global digital experience worth remembering? Full-on Live concerts will be like the Drive-In Movie Theatres of the 1950s-80s or Fax machines of the 90s.

Fun & Nice, but the world has moved on

It's now hybrid - there will always be people who still love the 'experience' of the drive-in, but they've moved on as well. They all still watch Netflix in 2022. What will live concert-goers be doing in 2040/2050?

While you may believe that nothing can replace a live concert, what if you could create and utilise a bigger, worldwide audience, from anywhere?

Here's how to Strategystorm and change the game.

A Plan is NOT a Strategy. So what exactly is "Strategic Planning"?

Roger Martin says it best:

"We hear this an awful lot - yet the bringing of the two words together do not actually make it better. And actually, it causes a lot of confusion. A comprehensive plan—with goals, initiatives, and budgets–is comforting. But starting with a plan is a terrible way to make strategy. Roger Martin, former dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and one of the world’s leading thinkers on strategy, says developing strategy means going outside an organization’s comfort zone and escaping the common traps of strategic planning, otherwise it becomes a To-do list, which is definitely not a strategy."

Watch the Video here

What's a Great Strategy if you can't Execute it? Hint: It's not.

Greg Satell covers the needed insights between strategy and execution:

"One of the most annoying things I hear from leaders is that “we had a great strategy, but just couldn’t execute it.” That’s simply not possible. If you can’t execute it, it’s not a great strategy. Most likely, it was a fantasy cooked up by some combination of consultants and investment bankers which was enshrined in PowerPoint."

Read Greg's article here.

#StrategyStories [The Stories of The Journey of Transformation]

The Great Story of Atlassian

Two mediocre students from Australia, Scott Farquhar & Mike Cannon-Brookes , did everything wrong while taking $10,000 in credit card debt and turning it into a $67 BILLION company.

The crazy part? They were profitable from day 1.

This is the wild story - thanks to Jesse Pujji for creating & publishing it on Twitter

#StrategySwipe [Take what is helpful; Leave what is valuable]

Digital is a big space. There are a lot of moving parts involved. You need to build a foundation for your digital strategy. The higher you want to go, the deeper and stronger you need your foundation to be. Can you create that value while providing a remarkable experience and can you deliver it any time, any place?

Watch the full Engati strategy video interview here, showing how to build a strategy foundation and why it is so important.

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#StrategyScoop [In the news]

A time-tested strategy for leaders facing a “perfect storm”

The great polar explorers all had seconds-in-command to help manage their teams. The role is still needed in organizations today.

A perfect storm is the term for treacherous, simultaneous weather and oceanic conditions—such as strong waves, powerful winds, and torrential rain—that conspire to create dangerous seas. In business, leaders are facing a perfect storm of a different sort. Talent wars, actual war, the pandemic’s disruption to business, and inflation are just some of the issues troubling businesses today.

So who can help executives navigate these difficult waters?  strategy+business takes us through the solution. Read more here...

What's The most important skill you’ve never been taught?

Stategystorming. It’s a combination of: 

1. Strategic Thinking
2. Storytelling 
3. World-building

We have a Strategystorming Strategy Mastery Training coming up - Find out if it's right for you here.

Now, for a video intermission...

In a world of bad strategy - be more strategery! 😂

#StrategySnapshot [Our World in Data]

The Tales of Facebook’s Death Continue to be very much Exaggerated

Contrary to yet more click-bait mischief, audience reach data do not support the claim that “the kids are leaving Facebook”, and neither are the adults, for that matter.

So we can get rid of this idea, and focus on what is really changing the strategy of Facebook. Consumer changes in the media types that they enjoy, specifically Reels. This shift though may actually be part of Meta’s plan.

For context, in a recent investor earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg clearly stated that Meta intends to prioritise activities that keep people within Meta’s platform environments:

“We started by building world class ads tools to help businesses reach potential customers and help people discover new products and services that they might like. But what we’ve found is that when [Shops and Marketplace] ads link offsite, you often land on a webpage that’s not personalised or not optimised, or where you have to re-enter your payment information. That’s not a good experience for people, and it doesn’t lead to the best results for businesses either. So our next phase is focused on building out Shops, Marketplace, and business messaging in WhatsApp and Messenger to create more native commerce experiences across our apps.” - Mark Zuckerburg

This may mean that Meta will start to place less emphasis on ads in Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Shop that direct users to third-party sites, in favour of creating more “on-platform” social commerce offerings.

Grab the full report on other changes & trends in digital with the July 2022 edition of the DIGITAL 2022: JULY GLOBAL STATSHOT REPORT put together by Simon Kemp & DataReportal @WeAreSocial Hootsuite

#StrategyFails [The LAST Word]

We're reading this on Linkedin, and probably heading to Facebook on weekends, and maybe a little Twitter before dinner. Why? Because we're supposedly social creatures, and now online social creatures. "Social Media" was brought to a practical application over 20 years ago, and set the stage for the behemoths of today, with billions of users across the world connecting with their friends, families, businesses & communities. One of the 'places to be' back in the day was one of the original social media sites - Myspace. Yet, they really aren't around much anymore. So what happened and why was it a failure of strategy?

Much of the answer lies in the work of David Reed and what is known as “Reed’s Law.” Developed in the late 1990s, Reed’s Law offers the fundamental insight that the value of social networks depends on how well they facilitate the formation of groups, not just on how they facilitate connections between individuals.

While networks of that amazing pinnacle of 80s/90s tech, fax machines, are great because they let any one of us send a document to anyone else, it's much more powerful to let like-minded individuals form groups around whatever topic happens to interest them and then to share as a group. Reed used his insight, based on some compelling math, to predict in the 1990s that eBay would soon outperform Yahoo even though Yahoo seemed to be as firmly entrenched at the time as Google is today. The ability to form groups even around obscure hobbies - think collecting Pez dispensers - was more compelling than the ability to broadcast ads. In other words, it is cheaper to let people form these groups rather than attempt to advertise directly to Pez dispenser collectors.

Ultimately, “Facebook allows you to actually connect with real people, rather than bands or celebrities". But that was before we could connect with bands on Facebook lol

PS - Myspace has still failed, 20 years on. More here.

#ThankYOU!

I appreciate the time you took to read this. Thank you!

Don't forget to Subscribe!

#StrategySkills Testing Question

Do you know what a Tetrahedron is? More to come on this amazing shape... applied to strategystorming and strategy builders. This is where it will get fun.

#StrategySurvey

The GLOBAL Strategy Snapshot 2022 is running

How are you & your organization 𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙗𝙮 strategic thinking? 

What's your best insight? I'll be sharing all of the results, so you'll be able to see how others are thinking & using strategic thinking as well...

I would love to hear your thoughts & where you think we might be heading. Take a look here.

Let's Craft Greater Strategy Together...

We have a Strategystorming Strategy Mastery Training coming up in August - Find out if it's right for you here. Join in on the Strategic Leadership Through Uncertainty journey with us. 

Caught between poor strategy, issues in your team & revenue roadblocks?

Join a group of like-minded, strategic thinking, hand-selected Expedition adventurers guaranteed to expand your mind & how you think & implement strategy. Together you’ll define, design, and craft strategy for you and your company, set goals, head into a challenging learning environment, then, upon "return to civilization", reflect on what the experience means for your path forward and how to craft better & greater strategy.

Along the way, you’ll learn cutting-edge & science-backed techniques to extend your mind, grow your creativity and think laterally. You’ll be joined by global experts & associates on strategy, creativity, and leadership. Find out if it's right for you here.

Want to learn more about Strategystorming? Here's what you can do next...

1. Take a look at Strategystorming on Linkedin.
2. HOW DO YOU THINK STRATEGICALLY? Find out what might be holding you back, by understanding exactly what type of strategic thinker you are with the Psychology of Strategy assessment. See exactly where you fit on the Strategic Dynamics spectrum here.
3. How are you & your organization 𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙗𝙮 strategic thinking? Share your insights by taking the Strategystorming Global Strategy Snapshot Survey Here

Reinventing & rethinking strategy.

The Last Serious Laugh?

"Digital transformation is a process, not an event, and the goals and priorities of the journey are different for every company. Just as COVID is bringing fresh urgency to make changes, there is resistance to how deep those changes should go. A Forester study a couple years ago reported that 21% of companies think they’ve already completed digital transformation." Tom Fishburne Marketoonist

Let's craft better strategies together ^^^^

“What makes a great teacher? Many things. But the main idea is that we care deeply about the outcome of each lesson, each moment, each era of the student’s development.”