5 Lessons from 'Strategy Safari' about navigating the Business World
As Henry Mintzberg said in "Strategy Safari," business strategies can feel like surviving and navigating in a deep jungle. What important lessons can we learn from the book?
Mintzberg identifies in the book 10 different ways to think about strategy, which he calls "schools of strategy," that don't even agree with each other. However, an attentive reader can identify the common threads that apply to all successful strategies, no matter the specific school. Simplify your journey by focusing on these five:
Internal/External Alignment is your compass in the wilderness. Align your internal resources, capabilities, and objectives with your external environment to keep you on the right path. Strategic perfection is a mirage, internal/external perspective is the goal.
Informed Adaptability is your survival instinct. The jungle has many micro-environments, and to survive it you must understand them too. Instead of fighting change and diversity, adapt your strategy to leverage it.
Strategic Coherence is your rough map. Every strategic decision should align with a broader vision of where you are and where you're going. A decision that doesn't move you closer to your destination might lead you astray.
Stakeholder Consideration recognizes the jungle isn't empty. Other creatures around you - stakeholders - can and do impact your journey. Balance their interests to build mutually beneficial alliances.
Client Focus, Innovation, and Learning are your survival tools. As Peter Drucker said, the purpose of a business is to create a customer, and client focus and innovation are essential tools for that. Continual learning, on the other hand, helps you keep thriving in an ever-changing jungle.
These common threads, understood and applied, make navigating the strategic jungle less daunting. Embrace them, transforming the challenges of change into strategic victories.