10/27/2025

Six Questions to Bring Insight Back to Strategy

Here's how to execute a true growth strategy

A typical strategy offsite starts with an ice breaker. Then there’s a brainstorm where everybody’s ideas on what the company should be working on are logged. Ideas are thrown around, colored stickers are used to ‘vote’ on favorites and a list is created within a few hours. While the process is quick and everyone gets a voice, it is not the most effective way to define your strategic midterm priorities, nor is it a process that’s going to get to a true robust list for growth. Strategy and top priorities are not something to gamify.

Strategy processes are getting squeezed. To streamline, we’re using basic templates. To ensure everyone gets a voice, we’re involving more people in the final decision-making phases. Speed matters, as does engagement, but combining the two is simplifying strategy in an unhelpful way. Insights have left and been replaced by the same set of generic priorities: profitable growth, operational efficiency, digital and AI, growth markets, customer centricity and people engagement. Great things, yes, but the same list as everyone else.

Let’s bring insights back into your growth strategy and set yourself up for building and executing a true growth strategy.

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