p.1 what is it that would drive me to write another book on [business planning, strategy and leadership],
and why should you take the time to read it? The short answer is to address a failure that I have witnessed that has cost
companies and organizations a great deal - the failure to think and plan in a more open, learning-oriented, and innovative
manner.
p.3 My core belief about what makes for quality strategic planning is to have a learning-oriented
approach. Planning is a way for an organization to learn its way forward and compete more effectively by making quality decisions.
I believe this based on my own experience and also from the advice of experts in the field whom I have been fortunate enough
to work with and become friends with (Don Michael, Peter Schwartz, Kees van der Heijden, and Arie de Geus among them).
p.21 New ideas are historically some of the most powerful forces in all of human history.
They are the basis from which we create new things that constantly improve human existence.
p.49-50 The point of these questions... is to embrace uncertainty and use it to direct learning and exploration...
Uncertainty is thus pointing the way to what the organization needs to learn!
p.50 What makes inescapable uncertainty easier to deal with in a planning process is to resist the need
for a false sense of closure... the planning process and selection of strategies should come to an
end... But... there should be a sense that there are still things that are unclear and uncertain and that the learning process
remains open.
p.117 I have discovered that a good sign that indicates you are on a good personal track when involved
in a planning process is your ability to play... learning by having an open and somewhat playful attitude opens up
space for creativity, sharing ideas, and treating others with kindness and respect.
p.121 a quote from William James... Genius, in truth, means little more than the faculty of perceiving in
an unhabitual way.
p.129 Ok, I have given you my best shot. [JLJ - clever way to end a book]
p.130 After having participated in over 100 scenario planning projects during my career, I hope that writing
this book advances the practice of scenario development a few notches.
