p.8 You cannot usually solve a complex problem with a one-dimensional approach.
p.9 When creating a strategy, ... It really doesn't have to be complicated and, as you
gather information to make intelligent decisions, you'll discover that you don't need perfect information.
You need good information.
p.10 Many people think of a strategic plan as a document... It should be a simple
statement of the few things we really need to focus on to bring us success as we define it.
p.24 you want good information. Information that helps you move toward intelligent decisions is
the best kind of information. In more cases than you might expect, it doesn't have to be exact... you want
information that will help you get results.
p.51 Information is power, especially in strategic planning. Informed strategic decisions are the
only kinds that stand a reasonable chance of success in this global, competitive world... But you have to
know what to look for... In simplified strategic planning, there are some key pieces of information that
you should gather
p.64 Before you can craft a strategy, you need to know your capabilities so that you can take advantage
of strengths and avoid your weaknesses. But to understand your resources and capabilities, you have to measure
things.
p.71 Though intangible factors... may be more unusual and difficult to track, with thought and ingenuity
you can develop measures for these and observe the trends to give you insight into your business... in some
cases you may not be able to directly measure an important success factor. In those cases, you may have to identify some of
the key drivers that contribute to the factor... The key is to find something that is significant...
and then define ways that make sense to measure that factor.... you should come out with approximately 15 key measures
to examine... If you can do a dozen important measurements well, you're on your way toward understanding a successful
strategy
p.92 Assumptions are temporary estimates about some probable future event or development over which you
have no particular control. Assumptions lie at the heart of all strategic plans. Assumptions should be treated very
differently from facts. Be careful not to confuse the two.
p.136 Focus is critical to... a chance for big success... Find something that is critical... and
define a focus around it such that you can bring more... resources to bear on it
p.181,183 And before you begin to think about attempting new projects, you have to consistently
take care of certain things. These are your goals - the stuff you have to do consistently on an ongoing basis. Goals
define the routine, the day-to-day business. Goals are the statements of continuing intended results that are both
necessary and sufficient to your concept of success... The idea of a list of goals is to identify the five to ten
things you have to do constantly this year and every year to keep the business running... However you state your goals,
they must be the things that are necessary for success... Keep the list as short as possible... The more you can
quantify things and write down exactly what you expect, the more your goals take real shape... You want tangible goals,
so you set targets.
p.186 Objectives are not activities. Rather, objectives are statements of what
you want to accomplish. Because you want to accomplish something, your objectives must be specific... The
objective should ideally contain measurements... Measurement creates results.
p.191 An action plan is the main driver of results, the roadmap that allows you to achieve
your objectives. It's relatively easy to describe objectives. The test of a successful strategy is converting those
objectives into results. That's where action plans come in. Action plans translate the grand strategic objectives
into a series of specific, bite-sized, doable actions
p.228 Well, there you have it. You start with ideas, information, and assumptions. Synthesize them
into strategies and supporting objectives. Give your plan some teeth with action plans, budgets, and schedules. If you follow
the process laid out in this book, you'll get results... strategic management is not separate from your normal work - it should
be part of it.
