Strategy & Troubleshooting

We all like to think of ourselves as strategists. The label 'strategic’ infers some kind of intellectual superiority and importance. However, most people’s understanding of what strategy means is fuzzy or even downright wrong. Yet good strategies are simple and contribute massively to achieving objectives, especially in complex environments such as business, technology, and economic development, where we want to orchestrate the actions of independent individuals. Use the links opposite to get an understanding of what strategy means and how to think of one.

Troubleshooting is a close relative of strategy. Often when a situation is going wrong it is due to a poor or non-existent strategy. Escalating input and fiddling around the edges never works. To put it bluntly, either the plan is wrong, or the execution of the plan is wrong. There can be a number of reasons for this: unclear objectives, false assumptions, changed circumstances, inappropriate skillsets, competing agendas, lack of leadership, etc. None of them are insurmountable: the trick is to identify the problems objectively and then have the courage to change. Again, you may find the links useful.