What is strategy? How do you develop solid thinking around strategy? The goal is to think about strategy in new ways.

1. What Is Strategy?
Thinking & Actions To Achieve Your Goals!
1
A. Form The Strategy
B. Build Strategic Thinking Into The Culture
C. Keep The Strategy Alive & Present In All Things
Copyright@ David Carrithers 2015 david@Businesshive.com 707-484-3620

2. Brain & Data Dump
• Get Everything Trapped In
Your Head Out
• Explore Raw Data
• Assumptions
• Desires & Dreams
• Get All Impacted &
Committed Parties
Sharing
• From Old Data To New
Thinking
• Past Reports
• Old Plans
• Competitive Analysis
• Market Research
• Red Flags & Big Thinking
• Talk With Many People/
Views On The Business/
Area
Compile Into A Useable
Document/ Resource
Alignment
• Talk About Dump
Findings
• Hold In Person Session –
Organize Towards
Strategy Formation
• Discuss:
• Vision
• Mission
• Goals
• Strategies
• SWOT
• Tactics
• Resources
• Tools
• Hammer It Out –
Disagree, Agree,
Compromise, Align
• Prioritize
• Walk Away Ready To Go
Finalize Plan & Actions
In Document & PowerPoint
Bring To Life
• Sum Up In One Page
• Share With Whole Team –
Gain Buy In & Align
• Assign Owners & Leaders
And Hold Accountable
• Build Milestone Map &
Calendar To Determine
Success
• Review Over Time &
Adjust Base On Current
Situation
• Make It Part Of Culture
• Reward & Recognize
Individuals, Teams &
Whole Organization On
Successful Embrace &
Living Strategy
Hold Leaders Accountable,
Check In, Adjust, Keep
Moving Forward
1 2 3
Steps To Strategy Formation
2Copyright@ David Carrithers 2015

3. Building Blocks To Strategy
3Copyright @ David Carrithers 2015 david@Businesshive.com 707-484-3620
Mission statement: The mission statement is an overarching, timeless expression of
your purpose and aspiration, addressing both what you seek to accomplish and the
manner in which the organization seeks to accomplish it. It’s a declaration of why you
exist as an organization.
Vision statement: This short, concise statement of the organization’s future answers
the question of what the organization will look like in five or more years.
Values statement or guiding principles: These statements are enduring, passionate,
and distinctive core beliefs. They’re guiding principles that never change and are part
of your strategic foundation.
SWOT: A SWOT is a summarized view of your current position, specifically your
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Competitive advantage: Your competitive advantage includes what you’re best at
compared to the competition.

4. Building Blocks To Strategy
4Copyright @ David Carrithers 2015 david@Businesshive.com 707-484-3620
Long-term strategic objectives: These long-term strategic focus areas span a three-
year (or more) time horizon. They answer the question of what you must focus on to
achieve your vision.
Strategies: Strategies are the general, umbrella methods you intend to use to reach
your vision.
Short-term goals/priorities/initiatives: These items convert the strategic objectives
into specific performance targets that fall within the one- to two-year time horizon.
They state what, when, and who and are measurable.
Action items/plans: These specific statements explain how a goal will be
accomplished. They’re the areas that move the strategy to operations and are
generally executed by teams or individuals within one to two years.

5. Driver Result
Performance
Focus
Customer
Satisfaction
Market
Development
Profitability
Value Statement
Requirements
• People
• Process
• Passion
Requirements
• Delivery
• Trust
• Quality
Requirements
• Retention
• Marketing
• Sales
Creates
• Opportunities
• Rewards
• Growth
Strategy Drives Profit and Value!
5Copyright @ David Carrithers 2015 david@Businesshive.com 707-484-3620