What do you wish Strategists would do more of?

• “Find opportunities for action, and not just diagnostics.”


• “Choices. Most planning presentations open up possibilities but do not close them. They are exploratory; they analyze issues but never make choices, and for me, strategy is about choosing.”

How do you judge whether a creative brief is good or

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Chemical engineer Trevor Kletz , a pioneer in his field, on how he accomplished so much in his career:

“If one asked permission there was a 50% chance it would be refused. If one just got on with it, 19 times out of 20 nothing was said.”

The logic is simple. Most people ask “Can I have a raise?” or “Can I get a free upgrade?” The framing of these questions allows room for a simple “No,” and when you’re asking for something wild (e.g., “Can I get into the VIP section with only a GA ticket?” ) the answer ought to be “No.” By reframing all your requests with “What will it take” you... See more