405: New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Rich Horwath — How to Develop Your Strategic Fitness
Dec 13, 2023
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In this episode, bestselling author Rich Horwath discusses developing a strategic mindset, creating a system for competitive advantage, the importance of strategic thinking and effective leadership, connecting personal and organizational purpose, and the power of bringing value to others.
Strategic thinking requires a continuous process and the ability to make trade-offs and focus on areas of strategic advantage.
Effective leaders set direction, communicate the why behind decisions, and make trade-offs to stay focused on strategic direction.
Deep dives
The Importance of Strategic Thinking and Practical Tools
Strategic thinking is essential for leaders to set direction and create advantage. It is important to have a roadmap for individual leaders to be strategic day in and day out. Strategy is not just a one-time event, but a continuous process. Possessing insight that leads to advantage is key to identifying what is strategic. Many leaders make the mistake of confusing strategy with aspiration, goals, mission, and vision. The ability to make trade-offs and focus on areas of strategic advantage is crucial. It is important to think first, plan, execute, and measure for success.
Building a System for Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Excellence is the deviation from the norm, and business leaders need to identify core competencies and capabilities that provide this deviation. Building a system of interwoven activities that are not easily imitated by competitors creates a competitive advantage. By focusing on capabilities and areas of expertise, businesses can create superior value that is not easily copied. Examples of companies building such systems in healthcare and other industries demonstrate the success of this approach.
The Characteristics of Effective Leaders
Effective leaders are those who set direction and serve others to achieve goals. Engaging people in conversations and communicating the why behind decisions drives commitment and buy-in. A simple, memorable communication of the strategy helps ensure everyone is aligned. A one or two-page execution plan provides clarity and focus for daily activities. Effective leaders trust their intuition and make decisions based on a deep understanding of the business. They avoid seeking consensus and make trade-offs to stay focused on strategic direction.
Collecting and Utilizing Insights for Strategic Advantage
Collecting insights from various sources, such as conversations, observing people, and exploring other domains, helps stimulate new ideas and perspectives. Categorizing and sharing these insights can create momentum and build expertise. However, it is crucial not to mistake trends for strategy and avoid being reactive. Instead, leaders should focus on clarifying decision rights, challenging assumptions, and thinking deeply before making strategic decisions. The goal is to think first and succeed rather than fail fast.
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 405, an interview with the author of Strategic, Rich Horwath. In his book, Rich 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.
Rich Horwath is founder and CEO of the Strategic Thinking Institute where he is a strategy facilitator, advisor, and coach to executive leadership teams. He is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of eight books on strategic thinking and rated the number one keynote speaker on strategy at national events, including the Society for Human Resource Management Strategy Conference. Rich has helped more than a quarter million people develop their strategic thinking and planning capabilities over the past 20 years in pursuit of his vision to teach the world to be strategic.