I am regularly asked to explain what I mean by "Functional Strategy", so I started writing an article which has turned into a book. While the book is getting ready for publication, I thought I should share the logic and the process of "Functional Strategy" in a series of blogs, hence...

The results of using this approach to strategy have been inspiring! Companies have really seen (often for the first time,) real results from their strategy workshops - the sort that profoundly changes the business for the better. I would love to say I dreamed the process up in a single sitting, but I didn't, it has evolved over 15 years of being mildly obsessed and fascinated with strategy above all other intellectual pursuits. I have, and still do, read everything I can on the subject, I have studied the masters, and I can with confidence say that "Functional Strategy" is the result of standing on the shoulders of giants.

Let's start off with the question: Why bother with strategy? For most people it is what you do before you submit your budget and is a great excuse for a group get-away... which is good for team-building... And it probably is, but there are much better reasons for doing a strategy workshop.

Strategy is a serious necessity because it is the process of making decision about the future of your business or department that are going to lead to success or failure in the medium to long term. What you decide today is going come back and haunt you (or please you,) when it is too late to change. Think of all the things in your personal life that you would like to change now, but can no longer. No, really stop for a moment and think of one or two things - it is important to getting the point... Go one? Okay read on. You could have made the changes a few years back, but the opportunity to change has passed you by and now you live with the "if only..."

That is what strategy is all about - not having to live with "if only", because you made the right choices back then. In the subsequent pieces, I will explain how to do strategy so that it yields good results.

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