Redefining how you approach strategy – during constant disruption and turbulent times – can feel overwhelming these days. We get it. However, no business can afford to ignore the importance of disruptive innovation. So, if you are curious and ready to rethink how you’ve traditionally approached the process of forming strategy we’ve found a relevant resource to share.
Published in the Harvard Business Review Shaping Strategy in a World of Constant Disruption the authors Hagel, Brown, and Davison, of the Deloitte Center for Edge Innovation, provide a thought provoking piece regarding the daunting task of shaping strategy as technology-driven infrastructures constantly change and approach for how to think FAST (Focus, Accelerate, Strengthen, Tie it all together). The authors discuss three elements that, no matter the industry, are vital in shaping strategy: A shaping view, a shaping platform and shaping acts and assets. While almost any company will benefit from an attempt to shape strategy, the authors recognize that not every business is ultimately a shaper. By participating in other firms’ shaping strategies, they show, a company can still find plenty of opportunities to create value.
Here’s a great opportunity to leverage this resource to fuel or jumpstart how your organization approaches the process of strategy. Think of a current, complex problem your organization is facing. Write a short description of the problem and the current approach to addressing it. Next, identify team members within your organization who may provide key insights to help you understand the problem from their point of view. Now, go a step further. Engage everyone in your organization and you will find they each have a completely different view of the challenge. Their individual views of the world, backgrounds and experiences could help you solve differently. This is the power of crowd sourcing your way to discover successful products, solutions and new models of doing business just by being open to trusting the ideas of others.
