The ingredients of a Successful Strategist
What it takes to be a strategist?
Over the last few weeks, I have been trying to think of what the core ingredients are that make up a successful strategist. While coming up with the list of ingredients itself took me some time, the bigger headache was to determine which are the core ingredients around which this dish called “strategist” is prepared and which ones are in smaller quantities but pack a punch of flavours. After a lot of brainstorming I present to you the ingredient list of a “successful strategist.”
Problem Solving - 1 Cup
This is the first core ingredient. As Richard Rumelt explains in “Good strategy, Bad strategy” - strategy at its core is problem solving. There is a problem at hand to create value and capture value more successfully than competitors in a sustainable manner. A good strategist is first and foremost a problem solver. And when I say problem solver, I also mean one who helps implement it and create impact too. A problem is not solved just by theory but by rigorous implementation and follow-up.
As Richard Rumelt explains in “Good strategy,Bad strategy” - strategy at its core is problem solving.Communication - 1 Cup
One of the biggest reasons for poor strategy execution is failure to communicate. But I will go one step further: one of the biggest reasons for poor strategy formulation is failure to communicate. A lot of time brilliant strategic ideas die on the table itself without reaching the execution floor because of the inability of the strategist to communicate it to a larger executive audience and generate buy-in. By communication, I don’t mean an extrovert who can go and talk to everyone but more of an assertive communicator who uses a good mix of facts and fiction to sell their strategy.
Astute Observation - 1/2 cup
Observation is an oft underrated skill set but for those of scientific temper, often the most critical one. While strategy is nowhere close to pure sciences, the skill of observation and testing hypothesis is critical to coming up with a rigorously tested strategy. Further, the strategy of the competitors can only be determined by strong observations and inferences, for it is not what they say in their annual statements or strategic documents but more of what they do in real life that spells out their strategy.
Creativity - 1 tablespoon
Future is uncertain. Future needs to be created! A strategist would need to “dream up” future scenarios that would exist and need to create a strategy that would work in the most probable of those scenarios. This requires more than data crunching; this requires a vivid imagination. A lack of this small yet critical ingredient is what I believe leads to a lot of bad strategy.
Curiosity - 1 tablespoon
Constant learning is key to updating your skill set and keeping your knowledge fresh. The impulse for learning originates from curiosity. If a strategist stops being curious, it is a death sentence for their career. A lot of times in day-to-day corporate jobs, you would see strategistS stop learning and reading outside the confines of their work. If you are not getting in fresh fodder for the brain, how are you supposed to generate fresh ideas!
We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.”
— Peter Drucker Stubbornness - a dash
The corporate world tries its level best to conform itself to the norm. It is a strategist’s job to resist that, as there are no exceptional results possible if you are average! A dash of stubbornness is key to keeping the spirit alive to try something new, something with inherent risks, something possible of achieving greatness!
Well, the above was my idea of the ingredients of a successful strategist. Everything set aside, the ingredients of problem solving, communication and astute observation are the core around which a good strategist is created. How can you use this list? Well, if you are looking at hiring a strategist or someone with strategic rigour in your team or organization, then use this as guidance. If you are looking at developing your own skill set, use this to identify the ingredients that you need to still add to your mix.
Hope you enjoyed this newsletter. See you next time.
It's an interesting article because some of the latter traits you mentioned would typically NOT be mentioned in a job advert for these type of positions, but are nevertheless important to consider.
Strong analytical and communication skills are a given, but what is often less obvious is the practicalities of operational execution hence why many strategy proposals can fail to get off the ground.