Friday 30 October 2015

A Strategy cannot run a short distance

Strategy is the one word in Corporate that is being used & misused by individuals in their own ways. A highlight of these mis/interpretations to me is, when it is used for a plan. There are many more such examples. However, there is a catch here: Even if people use the word strategy for various other distorted reasons & meanings but still can strategize & achieve what they want to, perhaps, word meaning should not count much. But, reality is far from this?

I have come across organisations which could not distinguish between their present and future needs and; strategize around  them. Mere focusing on the present may give you short term profit; but believe me “A strategy cannot run a short distance”. The strategy has a soul and a body – something to be seen now and something to seen then - the future. Aptly defined “It’s fundamentally the movement of an organisation from its present position to a desirable but inherently uncertain future position. The path from here to there is both analytical and behavioural.”

Organisations fail on “behaviour” more often than not. Short run success, better balance sheet, squeezing the present, maximum profit is what they aim and primarily companies do; leaving no room for future and building its behaviour. It seems to me; knowingly companies are being created for ‘now’. Market is also supporting it today as e-commerce companies are created and sold routinely. Reason for this, no time and efforts are being made to make an ‘Organisational behaviour’ that gives a longer perspective and regular returns to shareholders.

While laying down a strategy, more and more emphasis is given to what to do, without giving any direction on what not to do to achieve end goals. Organisational predisposition should be around ‘what not to do’ equally as a behavioural perspective of its culture. Majority of organisations however, do it other way round. That’s the reason perhaps there are only a few companies which are in the market for a longer period.

It is well accepted notion around that behaviour is not built overnight. So, sow the seed of behaviour & water it regularly and wait patiently to get the results. Don’t, uproot the plant and check its roots.


Lastly, whenever an organisation is laying down its strategy for creating everlasting business, equal importance be given to  culture besides factors like where to play & how to play- a mere analytical in nature. Remember, analytical factors are easily copied & pasted by competitors but extremely difficult to do it for a behaviour. 

1 comment:

  1. Short run is never called strategy, its called Jugad in Lehman language which focuses only on shortcuts to achieve results.

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