Most Strategy is Actually Nothing of the Sort

According to management consultant Alastair Dryburgh, most “strategy work” is simpler than many consultants and academics would have you believe.

When you engage in ‘strategy’ you are not re-inventing the company, redefining your industry, or creating the next Facebook.

You are simply looking at what’s going on in your markets to identify what customers (mostly your existing customers) are likely to be asking for in the future. You are looking inside the company to see where you are making money and where you are not. Often, you end up with something quite like what you already have, with some parts expanded, others shrunk or eliminated, and a few things added.

Recognise this and you will see that you probably already have all the strategic knowledge you need. The value is not in radical new concepts or techniques, but in the ability to see clearly and act accordingly.

Alastair Dryburgh is chief contrarian at Akenhurst Consultants and author of the book “Everything You Know About Business is Wrong”