A sailboat always moves forward.

This remarkable fact is due to its asymmetrical shape: it is pointy at the front and flat in the back. This creates resistance to moving backwards, but a natural ease in moving forward. Even when the water is randomly undulating, “backward” forces are muted, while “forward” forces are allowed, so the boat glides... See more

Craig’s List is classified ads on the Internet. Their strategy includes crisp decisions like valuing consistent user experience more than great design (the website looks like it’s from 1995, because it is), and user-accessibility over monetization (“Craigslist president Jim Buckmaster has stated that creating a superior user experience is more... See more

Zappos started in 1999⁠—early Internet, no social media, few people with broadband, few people comfortable buying anything online, much less buying shoes, which for 100 years was bought only after first trying them on in person. Zappos started with a differentiated insight (the companion article explains how “insights” can be leverage): That people... See more

Great strategies accomplish this with the following characteristics:

• Simple: Reshapes complexity to be manageable and actionable.


• Candid: Dares to spotlight the most difficult truths.


• Decisive: Asserts clear decisions and accepts their consequences.


• Leveraged: Magnifies strengths into durable competitive advantage.


• Asymmetric: Defeats uncertainty

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