Strategy research - listen

If you have had a nosey around this blog or my other one on working towards a PhD you will be aware that I'm researching strategy, more exactly how good, competent strategists gain the experience and skills they use when they think, act and make decision strategically.

To do this I have spent the last three months zipping here and there interviewing strategists who were recommended to me and it has been a fascinating journey and the results are nothing like you would expect.  I'm not ready to announce exactly what the results are yet as I'm just at the beginning of the analysis but as I gain a greater understanding of the material I'll happily share the insights, probably in publications first.

One insight I'm happy to share is that from what I've heard strategists do an awful lot of listening and not a whole lot of talking.  If strategists you deal with already have all the answers that is a massive red flashing light. The most clever people I interviewed clearly valued others opinions highly and sought them out as opposed to hiding in a corner office and sending out the strategy like Moses from the mountain.

People in your business know a lot of valuable stuff and the real trick is to create solid relationships built on trust to get that information into the thinking processes.......

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