How Strategy Succeeds
Your strategy is out of date from the moment you complete it. So would it follow that an effective strategy is one that isn’t complete?
Penguins have a tough job to do in a harsh and unforgiving environment. They survive and succeed by making behavioural and structural adaptations. Behaviourally, they survive winter storms by combining the body heat of the community, and tens of thousands of them may huddle together for warmth. Structurally, they have evolved a short, stiff tail. This allows them to lean backwards and balance on their heels and tail, reducing heat loss through their feet. Adaptations like these are made from generations of experience, trial and error and responding to changes in environment.
To the best of our knowledge, there are no recorded instances of a small group of senior penguins going on a strategy away day to predict what changes they will make in the next five years.
Five years ago, I bought a house in South London with my girlfriend. We planned to fix the house up, and go out and have some nice meals while we were doing it. We did this because being able to go home together at the end of the day makes everything else in life bearable. Going out to eat together is one of the linchpins of our relationship. This is, very broadly, who we are.
