Why Good Strategy is About Making Sense of Complexity

As I was preparing a presentation lately discussing about the strategy role in organizations, I realized that what great strategy people do is making sense of the complex world so as to enable decision-making – developing and presenting a reading grid of the world so as to make decisions as to where to go possible and natural. Showing the path in the midst of the dark, unpredictable jungle.

Strategy is making sense of complexity to show the way
Strategy is making sense of complexity to show the way

Good strategies are defined by clear-cut directions that are followed by the organization to realize value; the best strategies can sometimes be wholly different directions from the current effort. “Visionary” leaders are people that have a certain understanding of the world and follow a path that is clearly marked for them.

It is only possible to determine a clear path if one makes sense of the organization environment. This environment’s main characteristic is its complexity, which leads to the usual consequence of unpredictability. And as the world becomes more and more complex, the need for good strategists increases.

How good is the strategic thinking in your organization? How well does it make sense of the complexity of the surrounding environment? Does it really provide vision of a clear path that can be followed through the jungle?

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