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Mon, 20 Jan 2025 18:09:39 GMT

Strategic Thinking is About Complexity and Options

Wayne Gretzky once said "skating to where the puck is going to be" was the secret of his success. Often, in the world of technology strategy, we've used this same analogy. I'm here to tell you this is flawed, and maps a clear path to failure.

In hockey, there's one puck. It will always have one place it's going to be, based on direction, velocity and any rebounds or interference.

Enterprise technology is more akin to a game of pool. When you break the rack to start the game, you need to know where 3 solids, 3 stripes and the 8 ball are going to land to form your strategy. And even that's an oversimplification. Strategy is complex and deep, with a cornucopia of variables. So how do you map a strategy?

Data Becomes Information Becomes Knowledge

Gather the facts. Empirical data will always provide a factual foundation to start. This means data gathering. If the data is unstructured, find a structure, or more than one. Extract the facts from the data in context with the subject at hand. Manipulate and massage it until you shake out the nuance and ambiguity. When you see the light, you're on the right path and getting close. But don't always be drawn like a moth to the brightest light. Always consider multiple paths.

Knowledge Becomes Wisdom Through Two Elements

Experience

Have you seen a trend or result before that's similar or related? What have you learned in the past that applies to this scenario? Lessons learned are only that if we actually use what we've learned.

Intuition

Intuition is beyond simply following your gut. It means collating everything you know from other sources, everything you read (you study the field extensively, right?) and extrapolating possible outcomes. What do the analysts you listen to think? What does industry news say? Where are the vendors leading the space headed? Variables. Ferret out all the variables.

Then plan for 3-4 potential outcomes. Consider the unexpected. Essentially, wade through a mental library of if-then-else loops. Don't rely entirely on Plan A. Have as many plans as needed to build a path to success.

Lastly, monitor progress and always have contingencies percolating for the unforeseen. Rest assured, the unforeseen will occur. Every single time. Even a game of pool is a simple set of variable in comparison to the real world of enterprise information technology.

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 18:09:21 GMT