AI Essentials for Tech Executives

Chapter 6. Mobilize Your Strategy

At this point, you should have developed a strategy for your AI initiatives that can be communicated effectively. Now your organization needs to execute it. Getting people to take action can be challenging, especially in mature companies. These companies are optimized for their markets and struggle with adopting disruptive innovations like AI. Fortunately, Geoffrey Moore’s Zone to Win framework, described in his book by the same name (Diversion Books), offers guidance. Over the past decade, I have adapted this framework for AI initiatives. It’s allowed my leadership team to execute with consistency. In this section, I provide you with a step-by-step guide (with examples) for applying this framework.

The Four Zones

The zone to win framework separates business activities into four zones:

Performance zone

This zone represents your core business that generates consistent revenue and profit. This zone focuses on meeting financial targets and maintaining operational excellence. Products and services in this zone are typically mature and well-established.

Productivity zone

This zone focuses on improving efficiency and effectiveness across the organization. AI initiatives naturally fit here. They can go beyond engineering and into HR, sales, and finance.

Incubation zone

The incubation zone is for testing new ideas. It won’t affect your core business right away. This is a safe space to develop and test new business models, especially those using generative ...