I just finished reading Willie Pietersen's book, Reinventing Strategy: Using Strategic Learning to Create and Sustain Breakthrough Performance
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Pietersen first sets the stage for the rest of the book by underscoring the need for organizations to be adaptable. He paraphrases Charles Darwin, concluding that is it not the largest, the strongest, or even the most intelligent of species that survive, but the most adaptable to change. He explains that corporations need to start thinking beyond doing things right, to thinking about doing the right things.
He explains that vision is different from insight. Vision is what the leader has in mind for the group. Insight is what the group learns about their customers needs, through studying their customers.
Pietersen describes a four-step process he calls the "Strategic Learning Process:"
- Situation Analysis (Learn)
- Strategic Choices (Focus)
- Align the Organization (Align)
- Implement and Experiment (Execute)
This process provides the basic toolset for gaining insight, and turning that into vision. Continuous learning is essential, Pietersen says, and he quotes Arie de Geus's observation that a company's "ability to learn faster than competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage" they have.
He continues, "Nature, in effect, suffers from two massive learning disabilities. When nature fails, it doesn't know why; and when it succeeds, it doesn't know why...therefore strategic learning is at the heart of successful adaptation"
Pieterson's goes on to offer a formula for initiating change. His formula is:
D x V x P > C
D = Dissatisfaction with Current State
V = Clear Vision for Change
P = Process for Getting it Done
C = Cost of Change
His formula suggests that if D,V, or P are not strong enough to collectively overcome C, change will not occur.
Pieterson concludes his book by suggesting Strategic Learning can be applied to our personal lives to enable personal growth. Appling it to such topics as Emotional Intelligence, and Personal Renewal, the Strategic Learning process can help us throughtout our life.
Mike J Berry www.RedRockResearch.com