Master the four disciplines of strategic fitness essential to executive performance
In Strategic, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rich Horwath delivers an incisive roadmap to help leaders at all levels think, plan, and act strategically to navigate every business challenge they face. The book offers business leaders a proven framework―the Strategic Fitness System―containing dozens of tools, techniques, and checklists to confidently master every area of the business, from designing market-winning strategies to shaping the organization’s culture.
The practical content will help executives in any industry improve what research has shown to be the most important leadership factor to an organization’s future success―strategic competence―and use this skill to transform complexity to clarity in charting their strategic direction. The book features:
- A common language for strategy and business planning
- Practical tools for developing the four dimensions of executive fitness key to advancing the company’s growth: strategy, leadership, organization, and communication
- Techniques for designing enduring competitive advantage and frameworks for creating innovative new value for customers
- Methods for evolving the business model to transform the trajectory of the business
- The Strategic Quotient (SQ)―a validated assessment of an executive’s strategic thinking, planning, and execution
With practical tools and dozens of real-world examples, readers of Strategic will immediately be able to set direction, create advantage, and achieve executive excellence. Be more than tactical - be Strategic.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Navigate Your Business 4
Being Strategic 6
The Unstrategic 7
Strategic Fitness 9
What’s Your Strategic Quotient (SQ)? 11
Trail Blazes 14
Part I Strategy Fitness 17
Chapter 1 Strategy 19
Strategy Is Not 20
GOST Framework 22
Strategy Defined 24
When to Change Strategy 26
3A Strategic Framework 28
Strategy Development 30
Designing a StrategyPrint 34
Trail Blazes 36
Chapter 2 Resource Allocation 39
Reallocation of Resources 43
Discipline to Focus 46
Making Trade- offs 49
Trail Blazes 51
Chapter 3 Decision Making 53
Creating Decision Trees 56
Avoiding Decision Traps 58
Determining Decision Rights 60
Delegation: Lead at Your Level 64
Trail Blazes 68
Chapter 4 Competition 71
Assessing the Competition 72
Competitive Positioning 75
Learning to Differentiate 78
Understanding Competitive Advantage 82
Trail Blazes 86
Part II Leadership Fitness 89
Chapter 5 Leadership 91
Situational Awareness 92
Emotional Intelligence 96
Leadership Philosophy 98
Trail Blazes 101
Chapter 6 Personal Performance 103
Three Principles of Preparation 105
Energy Management 109
Executive Presence 112
Trail Blazes 114
Chapter 7 Mental Toughness 117
Seven Saboteurs of the Mind 118
Mental Training Techniques 119
Nonjudgmental Observation 122
Breaking the Judgment Habit 124
Trail Blazes 126
Chapter 8 Time and Calendar 129
Eliminating Time Traps 130
Three Ways to Monotask 131
Optimizing Email 136
Trail Blazes 137
Part III Organization Fitness 139
Chapter 9 Organizational Foundation 141
Organizational Structures 142
Purpose 143
Mission 143
Vision 145
Values 146
Culture 147
Internal Obstacles 151
Trail Blazes 155
Chapter 10 Business Model 157
Evolving Your Business Model 158
Creating a Value Proposition 161
Mapping a Value Chain 163
Designing the Future State 165
Trail Blazes 171
Chapter 11 Talent and Succession 173
Talent Scorecard 174
Five Talent Traps 175
Succession Planning 177
Trail Blazes 181
Chapter 12 Innovation 183
Insight 184
Solving Challenges 186
Biomimicry 187
Domain Jumping 189
Catalyzing Questions 191
Trail Blazes 194
Part IV Communication Fitness 197
Chapter 13 Strategy Conversations 199
Dialogue 203
Discussion 205
Direction 208
Trail Blazes 211
Chapter 14 Collaboration 213
Enhancing Collaboration 214
Facilitation Framework 218
Trail Blazes 224
Chapter 15 Customers 227
Internal Customers 228
One- on- Ones 229
Managing Up and Laterally 230
External Customers 232
Board of Directors 237
Trail Blazes 239
Chapter 16 Meetings 241
Strategic Meeting Framework 243
Strategic Approach to Meetings 247
Trail Blazes 251
Close 253
Notes 257
About the Author 271
Index 273
