The Three Basic Strategies
There are three basic strategies applicable to nearly any issue:
1️⃣ Influence. Create the situation you want. Shape conditions. Drive change. Actively position.
For example, if you seek growth, build an infrastructure that enables it. Implement policies that head off trouble before it happens. Build awareness and trust with customers facilitating future sales. Negotiate alliances for potential projects. Create an advantageous niche.
2️⃣ Align. If you can’t influence or change the situation, align. Adapt and go with the flow. Ride the wave.
If you think AI is the future, learn it and build a capability. If you can’t compete with Walmart, aim to become a supplier. If pickle-flavored is the rage, incorporate it into your menu offerings.
3️⃣ Avoid. If you can’t influence or align, avoid. Go around the obstacle. Make the issue irrelevant.
Think your location is toxic for business? Move. If the market’s too crowded, find an underserved space. If something is bringing you down, stop doing it and find another way.
Start with these three top-level approaches. Don’t overcomplicate it. Don’t overthink it. Once you have the broad strokes, then dig into the details. Going deep too soon can cause you to get busy with specifics and miss the forest for the trees.
Nothing to do with strategy, but here’s a picture I took yesterday of an eagle feeding its babies. Wait… maybe I could spin this into a “what an eagle taught me about strategy” post.
Love how you have captured the complexity with such a simple approach
That picture of the eagle is amazing! And yes, it's important to figure out what you're really good at and positioning yourself then really lean into that hard.