It’s not that strategy has been tested and found ineffective - strategy demands the discipline of conversations that matter, ongoing trade-offs and long-term commitment. However, strategy often gets abandoned before it has a chance to succeed.

Strategy is not a set-and-forget process; it’s about continually laying the foundation for the next conversation that matters.

Consider the construction of the Great Pyramid as a strategic metaphor. It wasn’t built in a single day, or even a single year. Over roughly 20 years, a workforce of 20,000 to 30,000 skilled labourers placed approximately 2.3 million blocks - each carefully positioned to create a winning structure that has endured for millennia.

Just as every stone in the pyramid built upon the work that came before it, strategy is a continuous process. Each time we revisit it, we’re not simply checking a box - we’re placing the next foundational block that will support future conversations and guide long-term action.

Yet history shows us wha...

Strategy for the Oceans and the Skies

Not all my work unfolds beneath the bright lights of the conference stage. Some of my most meaningful moments come from sitting at the table with Boards and Senior Leadership Teams, unravelling the intricate dance of strategy that keeps our vast world in motion.

In the past month, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside two major players in air travel and on-water logistics—industries as fluid as the tides and as boundless as the skies. These are fields where precision meets uncertainty, where every decision must account for the ever-changing forces of global markets, shifting regulations, and the relentless pace of innovation.

Last week, both clients extended their gratitude with generous endorsements. An affirmation not just of the work we did together but of the shared commitment to navigating complexity with clarity, resilience and foresight.

To those who trust me to step into their world, to listen, to challenge, and to shape the path ahead, I...

Stepping out of the office creates invaluable opportunities to gain insight and foresight.

Recently, a client proposed holding their annual two-day global strategic planning session at their corporate office.

I countered.

I shared that different times and spaces are crucial ingredients for strategic planning. Retreats - whether at coastal golf resorts or sanctuary-like mountain hideaways - create environments where an executive team can reflect deeply, think creatively, and strategise with clarity.

January and February can be my busiest months for strategy facilitation, with both local and global clients, especially those with calendar-year financials.

There are plenty of excellent retreat venues at a range of price points - many not far from your office - offering the perfect backdrop to bring your team together to tackle the three strategic “what now” questions essential for future-proofing your business.

When I shared my retreat perspective, my client embraced the idea. In the coming week...

By the time we reach our late teens, our personal values are largely set. These values rarely change, except under circumstances of significant stress, sudden loss, or upheaval related to something deeply important.

In the past, personal values were often shaped by religion and family. However, many young people today are products of broken families, which bring their own set of values. In our modern era, social media has replaced both religion and family as the primary influences shaping our children’s person value systems!

In our world, personal values profoundly influence leadership styles, strategic choices, and organisational cultures. 

Tesla’s Elon Musk endured a tumultuous upbringing marked by relentless bullying and a strained relationship with his father. These experiences forged his values of resilience, toughness, and risk tolerance, which are central to his strategic approach. 

Satya Nadella finally became an empathetic leader after the birth of his son Zain, diagnosed with cer...

With trips across the East over the last four weeks, I have had the chance to meet and listen to hundreds of leaders and business owners at various events.
 
Here are my take-aways:
 
CLIMATE ANXIETY IS REAL
Climate anxiety is a pressing issue for our youth, and one of the best solutions to avoid the looming fatal Hot House Earth and extinction scenarios is to abolish all political donations globally (ban oil conglomerate meetings in Mar-a-Lago!).
 
Our elected officials must have the freedom to act unfettered in the best interests of the planet. For this insight, I am grateful to  Phillip Nyssen for the chance to moderate an expert panel that included  Sallyanne Atkinson AO,  Peter Gollagher and  Rob Breuer on Sustainable Urbanisation, Major Events, and Smart Cities for the University of Melbourne https://lnkd.in/gs6bjuW7 this week in Brisbane.
 
REGIONAL BUSINESSES NEED TO BE MORE INNOVATIVE
By sharing my six-step strategic mindset process - Sense, See, Connect, Plan, Focus, and Move - across ...

It was an absolute pleasure to meet and work with the top talent at Origin Energy last week in Sydney for their Accelerate Talent Masterclass series and support their emerging leaders to get energy right for their customers, communities, and planet using the Strategic Mindset Process.

Meeting Andrew Thornton, Executive GM of Integrated Gas, was a highlight, and I appreciated the insightful comments Andrew shared about line of sight with respect to implementing strategy in large organisations, as well as hearing his strategies for overcoming this dilemma.

A huge thank you to Lena Lennartsson and her amazing team for organising such a fantastic couple of days.

A big shoutout to the storyboard artist Alice Edy from livedrawing.com.au for capturing my presentation so brilliantly on one page (see blog image)—your work brought my strategic mindset concepts to life!

I look forward to future collaborations with Origin and continuing the strategic conversation.

 #livedrawing.com.au
#origin...

Invite to Sydney

I am delighted to be presenting at a special combined Business Sydney and Sydney CBD Chamber next month!

I will be sharing important insights, connecting with fellow professionals and contributing to this vibrant business community.

I will reaffirm the need for a Strategic Mindset in the face of an increasing array of disruptive business models.

Those business leaders attending will realise that their dominant logic and existing worldview (however successful) can act as blinders to weak external signals and rising opportunities, ultimately impeding strategic renewal.

Shifting regulation, consumer preferences, technology platforms and new connected business models are pushing out efficiency frontiers within many industries.

No industry or firm is immune to this.

hashtag#BusinessSydney hashtag#SydneyCBDChamber hashtag#Networking hashtag#StrategicMindset hashtag#TheStrategyGuy hashtag#johnhalespeaker

In 2009, I had the privilege of coaching a promising young photographer named Craig for six months as he began his journey with his start-up, Eye Reflect Photo.

Craig, whose skills were as vast as his love for the ocean, and I had crossed paths six years earlier in a surf shop in Lismore, where I bought a surf watch from him. Craig’s sparkling blue eyes and radiant smile were unforgettable.

Craig had limited himself by not choosing to use his own name for his business out of respect for the famed golfer Craig Parry. So together, we came up with Craig Parry Photography.

From my perspective, Craig possessed limitless talent and passion. He just needed greater confidence and direction. I encouraged Craig to shift his focus from weddings and portraits and specialise in surf and oceanography photography.

I happily ventured to suggest that Craig would one day soon become a photographer for National Geographic.

Taking my idea seriously, Craig dedicated himself to his craft and has be...