Russell McGuire

Over the past few months, we’ve looked at many different aspects of strategy — what it is; what it isn’t; what are different types of strategies at big companies and at startups; how technology revolutions impact strategy; and many stories of companies and their strategic journeys. We’ve also talked about different tools used in strategy development. But we haven’t yet talked at a high level about the general process of developing strategies. Over the next few days I want to lay out some of the key dimensions that shape strategy development.

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Rules for Revolutionaries is a short, breezy book filled with inspiration and insights for anyone wanting to change the world. Read the book when you want to be inspired, or when you feel worn down by the “bozos” who want to tell you all the reasons your vision can’t be realized.

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Hooked provides a simple model for how to achieve a level of control that the author jokingly calls a “superpower.” Companies that successfully implement the model enjoy tremendous benefits as can be seen by the profitability and market valuation of companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon.

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HBR’s 10 Must Reads On Strategy is one of the best resources you could buy to learn about a variety of strategy development and execution topics. On any value for the dollar/time measure, this book is a bargain!

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Competitive Strategy is the classic text that defined how strategy has been developed for the past 40 years. It masterfully balances theory and practice. The first half of the book (Section 1) provides the foundational knowledge that any leader should draw upon in strategy development. The second half (Sections 2 & 3) includes excellent explanations to be referenced when facing specific industry or company situations. Well worth getting and keeping handy.

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Any organization’s strategic options for prospering in the Connected Intelligence revolution will depend heavily on their own purpose, assets, capabilities, and the dynamics within their own industry. We can, however, consider some broad generic strategic options that might be considered at both the Pillar and Proof levels of the Purpose Pyramid strategy model.

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The Innovator’s Dilemma has long been the go-to text for established businesses considering how to manage through technology disruptions. Pivot to the Future, by Accenture consulting executives, may challenge that notion, providing a new way of thinking about, and managing through the digital disruptions rocking virtually every industry.

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How does the battle between potential disruptors and the existing players actually shape up and play out?

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I am pleased to report that this book breaks the mold and is perhaps the best book I’ve yet encountered on the technology revolutions of the past several decades and what they mean for strategy development.

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The Connected Intelligence revolution represents a significant threat to any industry leader whose advantage is based on human experience and knowledge. The threats generally fall into three categories:

• Disaggregation
• Disintermediation
• Displacement

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