The Strategist: Be the Leader Your Business Needs

Historically, Michael Porter identified three generic strategies: low-cost producers; differentiators, who command premium prices for unique products; and focused firms who compete in very specific market segments, and could be either high- or low-cost producers

mission to be used as it was originally intended—as a comment about the “higher” purposes of a firm and its relationships with society

purpose to define why a firm will matter in its competitive context—the value it will add, and why that space will be different because it exists

Start out with a picture of where you want to end

A vision is what you want your business to be at some point in the future

What would my business be like without a strategist?”

I was very good at motivating and communicating with people. I used to give speeches in the cafeteria so that everyone would know what we were doing

Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others. It leads to sterility

While it can be painful when it happens, in the long run I wouldn’t want to lead a company that didn’t reinvent itself

In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are