This document discusses what good strategy is and is not. It begins by introducing Sarma Vangala, a corporate consultant who specializes in strategy. The document then outlines what strategy is not, such as innovation, determination, or vision. It states that strategy involves analyzing a situation, identifying critical factors, designing and coordinating actions to address those factors, and mitigating risks. Examples are provided of strategy failures, such as an investment company's strategy and the strategy for regime change in Iraq. The document concludes by noting that good strategy requires diagnosis, guiding policy, coherent action, and assessment, and is difficult work that is often misunderstood.

1. W H AT G O O D S T R AT EG Y I S A N D W H AT I T I S N OT
STRATEGY AND ITS
COUNTERFEIT
PRESENTED BY:
SARMA VANGALA, PHD
มหาวิทยาลัยศรีปทุม Sripatum University
May 2015

2. SARMA VANGALA, PHD
Chief Executive Officer
Metastrategy, Inc.
 Sarma Vangala is a corporate consultant specialising
in strategy, mergers and acquisitions and IT
transformation.
 Based in Toronto, Sarma and his team have clients
on every continent except Antarctica.

3. WHAT IS STRATEGY?
 NOT innovation
 NOT determination
 NOT leadership
 NOT ‘vision’
 NOT planning
 NOT ambition
 NOT logic of competition
 NOT goals
 NOT synonymous with success

4. WHAT IS STRATEGY?
Analysing a situation;
Identifying the critical factors;
Designing, co-ordinating and focusing actions to address the
identified factors and, where necessary
Mitigating the risks that may be inherent.

5. FAILURES OF STRATEGY
Investment company’s strategy in the face of poor growth
Do deals others reject
Go in with 3% equity and rest by
Short term debt financing
Have no mitigation plan for risks

6. WHO WAS THE STRATEGIST?

7. FAILURES OF STRATEGY
Strategy: Regime change in Iraq
100 days military campaign to gain victory
Easy transition to civil society
Democracy, rule of law and peace easily implemented
Result: Violent insurgency
Counter-offensive: Search and destroy ops by US soldiers outside their
secure bases {Same tactics failed miserably in Vietnam}
Hence, NO STRATEGY to deal with insurgency

8. WHO WAS THE STRATEGIST?

9. FAILURES OF STRATEGY
Strategy: Counter insurgency through:
Gaining citizens’ acceptance of legitimate government
Request citizenry to disavow insurgents
Make available 5 additional brigades
Reduce and then terminate search and destroy ops
Increase protection of general public.

10. WHO WAS THE STRATEGIST?

11. Good
Stategy
Diagnosis
Guiding
Policy
Coherent
Action Set
Assessment

12. STRATEGY
Is not fluff
Is hard work
Is misunderstood

13. METASTRATEGY, INC.
Teams specialise in strategy
Understand the complexities within organisations
Can be reached at:
Sarma.vangala@metastrategyinc.com
+1.416.567.0201

14. Q AND A

15. THANK YOU