Nimble positioningStephen Emmott, J.Boye

Agenda

● 13:00 Start● 14:20-14:40 Break● 16:00 End

About you

● Name, rank and serial number.● What is your primary challenge at work?

About me

● Head of Research, J.Boye● Worked in higher education and web/digital

sectors since 1993:○ LSE (2000-2014); King’s College London (1997-

2000); Webmedia (1995-1997); Netmare; Easynet; University of Westminster.

● Academic background in cognitive science.

About this tutorial

● Look at strategy and governance from a practical rather than theoretical perspective.

● Avoid deliberating and procrastination.● Stay grounded in terminology that is current

and shared.

Exercise (15 mins)

Expressed in keywords and phrases, what is strategy in your organisation?

Instruction: discuss; record on mindmap.

Strategy

“a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+strategy

Key point

Indirect connection between action(s) and outome(s).

Carl von Clausewitz

Strategy:“the use of engagements for the object of war”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_von_Clausewitz

Helmuth von Moltke

Strategy:"No plan of operations extends with certainty beyond the first encounter with the enemy's main strength"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmuth_von_Moltke_the_Elder

Helmuth von Moltke

Strategy:"Strategy is a system of expedients."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmuth_von_Moltke_the_Elder

Richard Rumelt

Strategy:“Coherent mix of policy and action designed to surmount a difficult challenge.”

Good Strategy /Bad Strategy

Michael E Porter

Strategy:“[...] the creation of a unique and valuable position, involving a different set of activities.”

What is Strategy?

Michael E Porter

Strategy:“[...] the creation of a unique and valuable position, involving a different set of activities.”

What is Strategy?

Scope of strategy

Corporate

Business unit

Functional

Scope of strategy

Corporate

Business unit

Functional

Key terms

● Aims● Objective● Activity (Procedure)● Asset

Aim

“a purpose or intention; a desired outcome”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+aim

Objective

“a thing aimed at or sought; a goal”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+objective

Activity

“a thing that a person or group does or has done”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+activity

Procedure

“an established or official way of doingsomething”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+procedure

Asset

“a useful or valuable thing or person”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+asset

Exercise (15 mins)

If you are given a strategy, what will happen?

Method: discuss.

Key point

● Aims and objectives [ends] result from activities carried out by or using assets [means].

Exercise (15 mins)

What is governance in your organisation?

Method: discuss; record on mindmap.

Governance (govern)

“control, influence, or regulate (a person,action, or course of events)”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+govern

Management

“the process of dealing with or controlling things or people”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+management

Essential concepts

● Role● Responsibility● Authority● Policy● Decision

Role

“the function assumed or part played by aperson or thing in a particular situation”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+role

Responsibility

“the opportunity or ability to act independently and take decisions without authorization”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+responsibility

Authority

“the power or right to give orders, makedecisions, and enforce obedience”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+authority

Policy

“a course or principle of action adopted or proposed by an organization or individual”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+policy

Decision

“a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+decision

Key point

Decisions and outcomes are governed; assets and activities are managed.

Aims and objectives

Service

“a system supplying a public need such as transport, communications, or utilities such as electricity and water”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+service

Product

“a thing or person that is the result of an action or process”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+product

Procedure

“an established or official way of doing something”

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+procedure

Key point

Products and services often deliver on aims and objectives and are therefore a proxy for these at the functional level.

Exercise (30 mins)

Identify one person’s key challenge that is shared by or interest to all and map out the aims and objectives that stem from this.

Method: group session using XMind.

Assets

Exercise (15 mins)

Identify the current assets available to deliver against the objectives.

Method: group exercise using XMind.

Activities

Exercise (15 mins)

Identify the activities carried out by or using the assets.

Method: group session using spreadsheet.

Exercise (10 mins)

Map the activities to objectives.

Method: group exercise using spreadsheet.

Exercise (30 mins)

Identify changes to activities and assets required.

Method: group exercise using spreadsheet.

Conclusions

● Strategy equates with position and being ● able to change position.● Position is defined by activities and assets.● Aims and objectives seek to indicate the

position that delivers gain versus loss.● Positioning may involve fine adjustments or ● major change.

Next steps after this tutorial1. Richard Rumelt’s lecture at LSE titled after his book “Good Strategy/Bad

Strategy: the difference and why it matters” - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZrTl16hZdk

2. “What is Strategy?” by Michael Porter - see http://hbr.org/product/what-is-strategy/an/96608-PDF-ENG

3. Jeff Bezoz's “1997 letter to shareholders” - see http://benhorowitz.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/amzn_shareholder-letter-20072.pdf

And if you can make the time:4. “Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: the difference and why it matters” by Richard

Rumelt - see http://goodbadstrategy.com/