The Starting Point

The Formula: Experience. Discipline.

I recently wrote a post about how marketing frequently misses the mark. As a follow-up, here is a little more about our approach to "getting it right."

Too often, CEOs and their very capable executive teams, operating within siloed industries, lack a more universal depth and breadth of experiences.The result? Strategies that are predictable and safe. More reflective of their competitors than their own situation.

While there is no single formula to developing a viable strategy, the process requires both experience and discipline. Experience to recognize options and patterns in seemingly unrelated methods and data. And discipline to remain objective when potential solutions arise, knowing there is always room to adapt and improve.

Strategy comes from a mindset to out-think others. Along with the confidence, born of experience, to go places others haven’t thought to venture.

Developing a winning strategy is a lot like playing chess, driving home during rush hour or even coaching football. In theory, anyone can do it, but early success is rare. Over time it becomes easier. Patterns emerge. Opportunities reveal themselves. Outcomes become more predictable.

One of the greatest coaches ever, Bill Belichick has a simple strategy - adapt. Adapt to your personnel. Adapt to your opponents. Week by week. Quarter by quarter. Driven by the experience and discipline to deal with the reality the situation and leave the philosophy for others.