Strategy Notes

Share this post

Strategic possibility

www.strategynotes.co

Strategic possibility

A simple hourglass drill for foresight

ML Cavanaugh
Nov 7, 2022
3
Share this post

Strategic possibility

www.strategynotes.co

Strategists can be dreamers. We sometimes day-dream about what might come to pass, what possibilities we might achieve. I think that’s great. If we don’t dream something new, then it’s likely nobody ever gets going anywhere good.

Strategy Notes is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

I’ve been thinking about how it is we can estimate the far-bounds of possibility. And my sense is there’s nothing wrong with wild-blue-yonder thinking as long as it’s tempered somewhat and grounded in cold-hard-reality.

So here’s what I’d suggest. The next time you want to think through how far you can push your organization or yourself towards the far end of strategic possibility, draw an hourglass shape with an open part in the middle.

At the very top, write out that wild-idea. What you think you might be able to accomplish, what dream you want to run down. How far do you think you can push yourself in competition, versus an adversary, against a marketplace competitor. Ask and answer: What might I accomplish?

Then, at the bottom, what’s the track record look like. Have you done something like this before? What’s the base rate comparison? Have you faced this adversary before? If so, how did it go?

Finally, in the middle of the hourglass: what are your current assets and liabilities that are pertinent to this competition.

If the gap between the top (stretch) aim and the bottom base rate is enormous—maybe you’ve got some asset ammo laying around that you think can help get you from the bottom to the top. Or maybe you see a time period where a lead-weight-liability won’t be a factor and you think you can gain some ground.

Strategy Notes is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Share this post

Strategic possibility

www.strategynotes.co
Comments
TopNewCommunity

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 ML Cavanaugh
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing