The Organizational Strategist Overview

This page is meant to be a resource to help navigate the blog and provide topic categories on how to be an organizational strategist. The hyperlinks will direct the reader to an appropriate blog article. This page will be periodically updated to reflect the written articles. Also of note is that this blog is hosted on wordpress here and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer here.

The overall objective of an organizational strategist is to create and uphold an organization’s enduring strategy. To accomplish this, the strategist and accompanying stakeholders can engage in a number of activities. These activities are broken down into the categories based on what the organizational strategist may need or is pursuing.

When initiating new strategic pursuits, keep in mind the following topics:

• Achieving alignment & balance through strategic planning
• The keys necessary to secure a 1^st mover advantage
• The key to your introductions is a Unique Value Proposition
• Defining your strategy both through what you are and what you are not

When sustaining ongoing activities and pursuits, keep in mind the following topics:

• Review the previous year’s results (success, failure, challenges, opportunities)
• Triple bottom line sustainability and value chain analysis
• Sustaining the first mover advantage- how organizations can maximize their capabilities and resources over time
• Unfortunate trends for Gen Y and more
• Leadership will be vital to harnessing, cultivating, and retaining Gen Y

Here are some resources and positioning topics:

• Scenario planning: a prudent activity for any organization
• Harnessing your Organization’s Innovation Potential via JAM Sessions
• A Strategy Fundamental: Determining Sustainable Competitive Advantages
• Unlocking Hidden Potential through Positive Deviants
• Competitive analysis

Strategic Modeling/Planning:

• Blue Ocean
• 3 Horizons of Growth:
  • 3 Horizons of Growth: Paving your Innovation Pipeline
  • The 3 Horizons of Growth: A Consultative Approach
• Evergreen or 4 + 2 model
• Strategic Thinking & Decision making
• Know Where and How to Play: Assessing an Industry through Porter’s 5 Forces

Implementation and enablement:

• Appreciative Inquiry: an introduction to a fantastic way to enact change
• Accelerating your strategic projects thru whole system involvement
• Strengths based change – it’s not fluffy stuff
• Gen Y & Web 2.0
• Implementation tracking and KPIs
• Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) usage