CHAPTER 15
Which Strategy “Comfort Traps” Are You Falling Into?
by Roger L. Martin
Faced with an unpredictable future, strategy makers often fall into three traps:
- Strategic planning: They create a long list of to-dos without having a strategy to carry out.
- Cost-based thinking: They try to model revenue (which is hard to nail down) the same way they model costs (which are much easier to predict).
- Self-referential frameworks: They focus on the company’s existing strengths and its ability to quickly copy rivals’ moves instead of finding a new source of competitive advantage.
Though understandable, these avoidance behaviors are dangerous. If creating strategy feels comfortable, chances are you’re not really doing it.
Answer the following questions ...