It is very common! Executives like you come in to the office every day and what do you find on your desk? A massive crocodile with bloodshot eyes, a fearsome tail and razor-sharp gnashing teeth. You then spend the whole day locked in a desperate life and death struggle with the monster.
If you are lucky, you manage to kill the scary beast. You go home late to your spouse/partner/significant other and say: "Whew, what a day!" as you wipe your beleaguered brow.
Next day you get up exhausted, go to the office, and what do you find? You guessed it, another massive crocodile on your desk - and so the fight goes on day after day after day.
You spend so much time fighting off crocodiles that you don't get round to doing what you are actually paid to do. Of course you know this, and you tell yourself so every night as you drive home.
Sometimes you even fall into the comforting delusion that if you keep killing off ‘just this lot of crocodiles' they will all be gone and you'll be able to ‘get back to normal'.
Sad to say, the real problem is not the crocodiles, nor the delusion. The real problem is you are so busy fighting off crocodiles you never make the time to walk down the corridor to find the swamp where the crocs are breeding.
Good strategy is about sorting out the swamps - both in your offices and your markets. Strategy means standing back from the day-to-day battles and doing some hard thinking, talking, and taking action with your team.
As a leader you'll need to do some careful planning and structuring to get the most out of your team discussions. At the very least you will scan the changes in your environment, note the competitive threats now and in the future, consider your distinctive strengths, confront your weaknesses, reconsider your company culture, and start building a revitalized competitive action programme. One that keeps you thinking ahead of the crocs and innovating faster than crocpetitors.
Be strong and single-minded about strategy! Revisit and rejuvenate it often. Do so determinedly and systematically so you come out on top. Or sooner or later you will get eaten.
Kuper is a consultant in strategy and organisational management. Visit www.competitivestrategy.co.za
(I just love this analogy!)
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