WSJ Best-Selling Author Alex Brueckmann on Strategy

“Strategy has a unique attribute in that it touches a whole lot of different things in an organization,” explains Alex Brueckmann, a strategy facilitator and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of “The Strategy Legacy” and “Secrets of Next Level Entrepreneurs.” Alongside host Mike Horne, they discuss the critical role of human capital in driving growth and innovation, emphasizing that employees are much more than mere resources.

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Alex shares his strategic process, highlighting the importance of understanding an organization’s identity and aligning executive teams for effective implementation. He stresses simplicity in communication to ensure strategies are understood and embraced at every level.

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The episode addresses the ethical implications of strategy development, with Alex arguing that neglecting strategy is unethical as it withholds potential benefits from employees and customers. He emphasizes leveraging organizational strengths and setting realistic goals.

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Alex and Mike also touch on the intersection of strategy and executive development, noting the crucial role leaders play in promoting strategic objectives. Alex advocates for continuous strategic thinking over sporadic planning to embed strategic thought into organizational culture.

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“When we use the term strategy, what is it that we mean? And what is it that we mean when we use other terms like vision, mission? How do you bring those into a cohesive framework, into a model where they can all coexist and influence each other in a positive way?” (07:57 | Alex Brueckmann)

• “If you think about what strategy is, it is your theory of how you win in your marketplace. And winning means different things to different people. To me, as an organization, winning means to be able to grow, to be able to deliver value to your customers.” (16:03 | Alex Brueckmann) 
• “Once you’ve reached a certain level in the organization, it’s not necessarily about your subject matter expertise anymore. It’s how well you lead and how well you understand some of the key capabilities that a leader on that level needs to have. And one of that, for example, is, ‘Am I able to rethink the organization? Am I able to create a strategy?’ Another one is, ‘Am I able to lead teams in ways that they can implement strategy? Do I create an environment—some people would use the term ‘culture’— in which strategy can thrive? And am I able to use a strategy process to do more than just strategy, to actually define, redefine the culture, redefine how we operate as an organization?’” (36:50 | Alex Brueckmann) 

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