Strategy Made Simpler Charles Kingsmill charleskingsmill.com Charles Kingsmill charleskingsmill.com

Companies have... ‘Accounts’ to delude their shareholders - ‘Values’ to delude their employees - and ‘Strategies’ to delude themselves. ‘Accounts’ to delude their shareholders - ‘Values’ to delude their employees - and ‘Strategies’ to delude themselves.

Common reactions to the word ‘strategy’ jargon-y... off-putting... difficult... something the top brass worry about... not really relevant... or realistic... jargon-y... off-putting... difficult... something the top brass worry about... not really relevant... or realistic...

Some key strategic questions from ‘The Strategy Geek’s Guide to Appearing Lofty & Important’ What is your burning platform? What are your core competencies? What are your vision, your mission, your goals, and your objectives? What are your key action steps? What are your critical success factors? What is your burning platform? What are your core competencies? What are your vision, your mission, your goals, and your objectives? What are your key action steps? What are your critical success factors?

A rough English translation: Where do we want to go? How do we get there? What’s stopping us? What could help us?... and that’s strategy in a nutshell Where do we want to go? How do we get there? What’s stopping us? What could help us?... and that’s strategy in a nutshell

Wanted: a clear way to ‘do’ strategy... think about it... discuss it... agree it... explain it... because strategy should be a continuous conversation

Shared Visual Thinking

Why this approach? It’s visual not just verbal It’s easy to share You can zoom out to the big picture or zoom in to the detail Over time, you can decide what’s important & what’s not You can update it easily You can compare & contrast the present & future It’s visual not just verbal It’s easy to share You can zoom out to the big picture or zoom in to the detail Over time, you can decide what’s important & what’s not You can update it easily You can compare & contrast the present & future

Two Islands Where you are now Where you want to be

Question 1. Thinking about recruiting disabled graduates... where do you want to get to? Describe success as vividly as you can Subsidiary questions: If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you aim to achieve? What would make you feel proud?

Question 2. How will you get there? List the 3 or 4 main stages - in sequence Subsidiary questions: What is the sequence of events? When do the major decisions have to be taken? What are the tasks in each stage?

What’s stopping you?

Outcome = Ambition minus Resistance Resistance = Fear

Four thoughts about overcoming fear/resistance Invert the pyramid Appeal to organisational values and identity (like MLK’s I Have a Dream speech) Use the world’s most powerful marketing formulation: problem - solution (“headache - take Anadin”) Help others to overcome their own fears Invert the pyramid Appeal to organisational values and identity (like MLK’s I Have a Dream speech) Use the world’s most powerful marketing formulation: problem - solution (“headache - take Anadin”) Help others to overcome their own fears

Question 3. What’s stopping you? What challenges do you have to overcome? What resistance do you face? Particularly, what internal resistance do you face?

Question 4. What could help you? What are all the resources available to you? individuals, teams & organisations (inside & out)... mentors / sponsors... skills / aptitudes / passion / willpower as well as time, money, materials...

Summary of key points Strategy doesn’t have to be intimidating It’s a continuous conversation, in plain English Keep track of the conversation - use the template Update it over time Remember Island A and Island B. Picture Island B as clearly as you can Explore what’s holding you back, personally Strategy doesn’t have to be intimidating It’s a continuous conversation, in plain English Keep track of the conversation - use the template Update it over time Remember Island A and Island B. Picture Island B as clearly as you can Explore what’s holding you back, personally