Page 55 - HBR Leader's Handbook: Make an Impact, Inspire Your Organization, and Get to the Next Level

2.

Developing a

Strategy

The essence of strategy is making choices . . . One of the leader’s jobs is to
teach others in the organization about strategy—and also to say no.
—Michael Porter

In chapter 1, we introduced “vision”—the practice of creating a unifying
picture of success for the future. To realize a vision, you need a strategy—a
coordinated set of concrete actions to reach the vision and achieve impact
in the market. Welcome to our second leadership practice.
Many strategy discussions are faddish (e.g., one-size-fits-all solutions
for greatness) or misleading (e.g., in the fast-moving global economy, strat-
egy is dead). But strategy always depends on a company’s particular situa-
tion, and though it has evolved far beyond corporate planning, the concept
is hardly dead.
Developing strategic thinking and learning to assess the trade-offs of
different strategic choices will help you grow as a leader. Several executives