The Strategy Guy's Blog
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...
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...
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...
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.
...
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...
Five years ago, when finishing my first business book - 'The Strategy Book', I received a handwritten letter from accomplished leadership author Jim Collins, who is famous for identifying five levels of leadership in his book 'Good to Great'.
Jim wrote me:
"There are five levels to most things. When it comes to book writing, Level Five is called 'The Tyrant’"
April has me locked in my battle with The Tyrant, something I had hoped to have completed in early March. Indeed, 'The CEO Book' is 100% written and almost 90% complete.
When you wrestle The Tyrant, you don’t quit when you’re tired, you quit when The Tyrant says so. It is a humbling journey.
Level Five leaders, PhD candidates, authors and people who take on complex assignments all experience The Tyrant.
All those years ago, Jim inspired me to move from good to humble.
If you are in this space, don’t quit. Know that The Tyrant is here to be of service and that you can be victorious.
#jimcollins
#thetyrant...
Tit-for-Tat Strategy Anyone?
The Prisoner's Dilemma is a logical exercise in Game Theory that demonstrates the tension between individual self-interest and mutual benefit. Game Theory is relevant to the current conflict between US-backed Israeli soldiers and the Pro-Palestinian Iran-backed Axis of Resistance. The phrase Military Intelligence is often given as an example of an oxymoron, often for good reasons.
In the current conflict, Game Theory offers good opportunities to play the Prisoner's Dilemma. Currently, the game is being played poorly and all parties are paying a great price. Instead of de-escalation, we see escalating war hostilities, where each party, prioritising their own safety and territorial interests, responds aggressively to the other, leading to a cycle of vengeful retaliation.
This war mirrors the worst decisions possible in the Prisoner's Dilemma, with all parties ending up worse off than if they had cooperated more often. Research into iterated versions of the...
I'm excited to be presenting to AFILE next month in the vibrant Brisbane CBD on how to navigate the future. In these dynamic times, navigating the shifting landscape is crucial. We will dive into some thought-provoking questions:
As leaders, what should we be doing in an increasingly complex world?
How can you stay agile amidst challenging and 'wicked' problems?
What strategies can you use to build resilience?
I look forward to seeing you there and sharing ideas!
#thestrategyguy
#navigatethefuture
#AFILE
I'm looking forward to speaking at the Unleash the Business Power Seminar and Expo on 29 August from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm at the Yeppoon Town Hall.
Jason Foss, Phil Henry and their team at the Capricornia Chamber of Commerce have listened to detailed feedback from their ongoing Coffee Catchups and are supporting regional business leaders and business owners with a day that includes four power-packed interactive sessions on:
Winning Business Strategies
Effective Time Management
Sales Mastery
Staying Ahead in Marketing and Customer Service
Joining me on stage will be my esteemed professional speaking colleagues, Catherine Molloy GGA CSP Molloy and Damien Morgan, with our talented MC Craig Gibbs.
Together, we'll deliver an entertaining day filled with inspiration, knowledge and
actionable insights.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to connect, learn and network...