The Power of Strategic Thinking: Lock in Markets, Lock Out Competitors

This book makes several excellent points about strategy. To find them, the reader must slog through pages of unremitting, self-promotional hard-sell, snide digs at business guru Michael Porter and contemptuous asides about consulting firms that base their strategic recommendations on research. Readers will miss little if they skip the CEO interviews, which might have provided interesting and informative insights had the author not chosen to focus on compliments to himself and his firm. But the bullet-point outlines of the strategic thinking process will be an eye-opener for many managers unaccustomed to thinking in this manner, and the section is illustrated robustly with real-life examples. Robert’s analysis of the driving forces of various businesses makes the entire effort worthwhile. ...get this book for executives and entrepreneurs in any industry.

As Vice-President, Sales & Marketing for a Berkshire Hathaway company, we engaged Mike Robert to lead our company through both the Strategy and Product Innovation modules his company offers.The results have been very satisfying as the company has launch two entirely new products, in new industries, that we never touched before.The power and simplicity of the process is incredible. In fact, if I had a complaint, it would be that the thinking can be so radical that some executives might have a hard time grasping the long term impact of decisions made during a single engagement. It is heady stuff!This process is not for everyone. I wonder how many companies are really ready to examine their position in their marketplace and actually do something about it.Overall, I was very pleased with the process and the result.

This is an easy to understand book about strategic thinking. Robert doesn't use complicated terminology or hard to understand concepts. His method for formulating and implementing strategy is straightforward and consise. Anyone wishing to improve their company's strategy should read this book. Although by itself the book was good and I recommend it, I was disappointed that Robert didn't provide much new information over his previous book Strategy Pure and Simple II. In fact, Robert used many of the same case studies (already three years old in some cases) and the chapters were very similar to his previous book. I also got the sense that the complete methodology he proposes was missing, and his real intention was to have readers call his company for the missing links. For instance, one case study mentions their use of a decision analysis, and potential problem analysis taught by Robert. These seem to be valuable tools that anyone using his method would want to know. He also suggests taking a survey to test your strategic IQ but recommends you send the results to his company for an objective assessment. Great way to generate new business, but he could have been more complete. I still think it's a good book because it gets you going in the right direction, and helps you organize your thoughts using a proven process. Unfortunately, you will only truly benefit from his process by hiring his firm.

How do you develop distinctive strategies that will distinguish your company in the market-place? Over the last 25 years, Robert developed his process of strategic thinking through working with CEOs of major and emerging corporations in various industries. His approach comes from working alongside and observing top executives of major organizations in an attempt to identify the concepts of management that they practice, in his case, by osmosis. In this book, he provides invaluable insight of his experiences with CEOs of Companies who have used their process of strategic thinking, and unlike other approaches, why their process has stood the test of time. There are clear explainations of the concept, examples and case studies from a wide range of industry sectors and organizations that readers can relate to. These are used to contextualize and demonstrate the applications of the concept discussed. Overall,Robert presents everything in a clear, compact and accesible manner. You will never look at your competitors the same way again!