Leading with Strategy

25The Strategy Sketch: 10 Elements

In Chapter 24, we explored why strategy is not a plan but a logic. We introduced the 6M Framework, which defines six interconnected forces—Magic, Market, Means, Money, Meaning, and Momentum—that shape how an organization creates and captures value.

But how do we bring this logic to life?

That's where the Strategy Sketch comes in. This visual framework translates strategic thinking into a one‐page canvas that teams can use to design, review, or refine their strategy. It doesn't just simplify complexity—it surfaces the right conversations.

From Concept to Canvas

At first glance, the Strategy Sketch resembles the Business Model Canvas—boxes on a page, inviting Post‐it notes, and deep discussions. But where the Business Model Canvas focuses primarily on business mechanics, the Strategy Sketch zooms out and digs deeper. It adds missing dimensions like competitors, culture, values, and external uncertainties.

The Sketch contains 10 strategic elements, each representing a critical component of your organization's value creation logic. Together, they provide a structured yet flexible way to engage with strategy whether you're launching a startup, scaling a social enterprise, or transforming a legacy organization.

Let's walk through the 10 elements, along with guiding questions you can use to reflect, align, or facilitate.

10 Elements of the ...