Thinking and research on strategy is constantly developing and evolving. We share insights from our work and resources from other journals, practitioners, and collaborators on this page. Check back from time to time to see what’s new.
Grit as a Tool for Focus
By Jennifer Horn-Frasier and Holly Adams “A lack of grit can come from having less coherent goal structures.” Author Angela Duckworth talks a lot about grit, and the lack of it, in her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. But let’s back up a bit. What’s...
Messy challenge? Try conversation.
Feeling overwhelmed by a challenge? Try conversation, the most powerful problem-solving technology we have. Strategic Doing provides a structure to these types of productive conversations that can be defined and practiced.
Strategic Grit™: You Are Here
The “You are Here” notation on a map provides a simple and effective reference point when you’re navigating a large space. In the agile world, the term “baseline” refers to a beginning point. Much of the focus of Strategic Grit is on the process of getting to where you want to be, but in this post we help you understand the importance of being able to describe your current state, your baseline.
Strategic Grit™: Incorporating Rest into Growth
Is rest the opposite of grit? No, it’s part of it. What might seem like grit or discipline in pushing through tiredness is actually the opposite: a squandered opportunity for rest to fuel new effort. How can you translate this important concept to your company or organization?
Strategic Grit™: Seeds of Inspiration
Who is your Strategic Grit inspiration? We invite you to read our post, then tackle our challenge: Acknowledge and thank someone who inspires you with their amazing Strategic Grit. Show them some love this month.
Strategic Grit™—Talking, Trust, and Tenacity: Solve Problems Faster
For so many contentious topics—climate change, the best way to end the pandemic, improving racial justice—it sometimes seems like it would be easier to give up and ignore their existence than solve them. But there is an effective way to navigate differing opinions and solve tough issues. Even among people with very different views, problem solving is possible with a willingness to engage in deep conversation and an openness to building trust.
Strategic Grit: Emotions
Strategic Grit doesn’t cancel out human feelings. Instead, Strategic Grit acknowledges and embraces their existence, then develops action plans that help people work through and past them.
Strategic Grit: Sustaining
Sustaining forward momentum can be done by regularly evaluating what’s been done, adjusting plans as needed, and defining clear next steps. Repeating this cycle allows for rapid learning and quick changes that help keep projects on the path forward.
Strategic Grit: Doing
Once a future vision is created, the conversation moves from “What could we do?” to “What should we do?” And then it is time to answer the question of “What will we do?”
Strategic Grit: Envisioning
We move in the direction of our thoughts and conversations. This is why it is crucial to imagine and define where we want to go. And that’s why the first step in strategizing is envisioning.
Strategic Grit: The Power of Experimentation + Discipline
There’s no magic button for making and sustaining positive change. In this post, we describe how the complementary practices of thoughtful experimentation and discipline can sustain focus and forward momentum.
Strategic Grit: Turning Chaos into Insight
Have you experienced times when your plans and expectations crashed and burned? Don’t throw the smoking heap of unrealized goals and planning out! There are treasures buried there, including lots of learning and new insights.