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Sentient Strategy: How to Create Market-Dominating Strategies in Turbulent Economies
No pre-pandemic strategy is effective anymore. None. Not for organizations large or small, for-profit or non-profit, domestic or global. Claims of a "return to normal" or "the new normal" are ridiculous. What we’re facing is really a "new reality," and that reality is the need for agile strategic decisions and pragmatic views of the future. That means that strategy formulation can be reduced to a few days and the view of the future can only be 12–18 months. This is the antithesis of Peter Drucker’s approach to strategy, but his highly effective approach was developed at GM three quarters of a century ago. It’s time to move on.
Alan Weiss has developed an original and completely new approach to strategy which thus far has certified over 100 people globally, delivering this approach to scores of firms of all types in four countries. More than two dozen firms are using this approach.
Sentient Strategy is based on two modern awareness of the environment in which the organization exists and has influence, and consciousness of the impact of actions being considered. The old SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) approaches are currently equivalent to riding down the freeway on a horse. We must drop the hubris that has led us to believe we can see years ahead and anticipate what’s coming. No one predicted the Internet No one predicted the latest pandemic.
It’s time to turn volatility and disruption on their heads and use them as offensive weapons in the marketplace instead of trying to protect ourselves from them. Imagine a strategy that an organization can formulate in just a day or so, revisit easily and frequently, and design a series of shorter-term, viable futures. "Sentient" means "perceptive" and "self-aware." It doesn’t mean "one size fits all" from a cookie-cutter firm’s approach to strategy.
Alan Weiss equips the reader to consider using this approach independently. These are new times—a new reality, a "no normal™"—hence, it’s ridiculous to use old approaches to strategy. There’s a clear reason why Sears didn’t morph into Amazon and why Hertz surrendered its number one spot to Enterprise.
Alan Weiss has developed an original and completely new approach to strategy which thus far has certified over 100 people globally, delivering this approach to scores of firms of all types in four countries. More than two dozen firms are using this approach.
Sentient Strategy is based on two modern awareness of the environment in which the organization exists and has influence, and consciousness of the impact of actions being considered. The old SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) approaches are currently equivalent to riding down the freeway on a horse. We must drop the hubris that has led us to believe we can see years ahead and anticipate what’s coming. No one predicted the Internet No one predicted the latest pandemic.
It’s time to turn volatility and disruption on their heads and use them as offensive weapons in the marketplace instead of trying to protect ourselves from them. Imagine a strategy that an organization can formulate in just a day or so, revisit easily and frequently, and design a series of shorter-term, viable futures. "Sentient" means "perceptive" and "self-aware." It doesn’t mean "one size fits all" from a cookie-cutter firm’s approach to strategy.
Alan Weiss equips the reader to consider using this approach independently. These are new times—a new reality, a "no normal™"—hence, it’s ridiculous to use old approaches to strategy. There’s a clear reason why Sears didn’t morph into Amazon and why Hertz surrendered its number one spot to Enterprise.
- GenresBusiness
Kindle Edition
Published March 23, 2023
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Alan Weiss
136 books125 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Alan Weiss is an American entrepreneur, author, and public speaker
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Alan Weiss is an American entrepreneur, author, and public speaker
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 11, 2023
“Ask five people for a definition of ‘strategy’ and you'll receive seven different responses,” proclaims Alan Weiss at the beginning of his new book, Sentient Strategy: How to Create Market-Dominating Strategies in Turbulent Economies. “The dictionary defines it as ‘a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.’ That's not exactly helpful, either. In fact, it confuses tactics with strategy, which is a mortal business sin. A plan of action to achieve a major aim might include raising prices or decreasing expenses, both of which are tactics, not strategies.”
“We hear of the term in grandiose pronouncements. Such human resources strategy but that intent had better be in support of the corporate strategy or it's useless. What’s really meant is the steps human resources will take to help implement the organizational strategy,” he continues. “And then there are approaches such as SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) which are so simplistic and flawed that they shouldn't suit a kids lemonade stand on the street in terms of growth. But a great many consultants seeking a quick buck, and a great many executives seeking a quick fix, fall for these ineffective shortcuts. There is also the mantra of ‘values, vision, mission’ which I'll dispel in the book as a rather useless meme. Again, it's an easy phrase that substitutes for hard work.”
By beginning the focus on what to avoid, Weiss is able to instantly hook the reader on both an emotional and intellectual set of levels. Then he’s able to effective shoehorn his own, titular ‘sentient strategy’ methods into the primary focal points - locking the reader in, winning them over not just by the strategy’s surefire success percentile rates, but by making the narrative have effective, communicatory hooks. Any great nonfiction writer, particularly one in the often maligned subcategories of business and leadership advice and self-help, must retain the core attributes of a good storyteller. It’s critical in fact to retain these attributes because said narratives often are so viscerally dry. It’s easy to preach to one, particular intellectual choir, but you know you’re in the presence of a true professional when the literary communicator and ideological expert is able to make their points in a manner accessible for everyone. Weiss doesn’t dumb things down and expects one to be informed. But he doesn’t settle for writing in lofty, drier prose that won’t draw in the uninitiated. “Turbulent times tend to exacerbate both strengths and weaknesses. The strong become stronger and the weak perish. The organizations named above, and hundreds of others like them globally, have failed because they’ve been victims of the harsh Darwinian dynamics discussed here. They have misunderstood markets, focused on the wrong market shares, and have employed strategy as a superficial exercise, calling in large consulting firms to provide the ‘air cover’ with the board…Organizations, public or private, cannot exist without customers or clients, members or subscribers. No matter the terminology, someone has to pay for the product or service which has value for them.”
“We hear of the term in grandiose pronouncements. Such human resources strategy but that intent had better be in support of the corporate strategy or it's useless. What’s really meant is the steps human resources will take to help implement the organizational strategy,” he continues. “And then there are approaches such as SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) which are so simplistic and flawed that they shouldn't suit a kids lemonade stand on the street in terms of growth. But a great many consultants seeking a quick buck, and a great many executives seeking a quick fix, fall for these ineffective shortcuts. There is also the mantra of ‘values, vision, mission’ which I'll dispel in the book as a rather useless meme. Again, it's an easy phrase that substitutes for hard work.”
By beginning the focus on what to avoid, Weiss is able to instantly hook the reader on both an emotional and intellectual set of levels. Then he’s able to effective shoehorn his own, titular ‘sentient strategy’ methods into the primary focal points - locking the reader in, winning them over not just by the strategy’s surefire success percentile rates, but by making the narrative have effective, communicatory hooks. Any great nonfiction writer, particularly one in the often maligned subcategories of business and leadership advice and self-help, must retain the core attributes of a good storyteller. It’s critical in fact to retain these attributes because said narratives often are so viscerally dry. It’s easy to preach to one, particular intellectual choir, but you know you’re in the presence of a true professional when the literary communicator and ideological expert is able to make their points in a manner accessible for everyone. Weiss doesn’t dumb things down and expects one to be informed. But he doesn’t settle for writing in lofty, drier prose that won’t draw in the uninitiated. “Turbulent times tend to exacerbate both strengths and weaknesses. The strong become stronger and the weak perish. The organizations named above, and hundreds of others like them globally, have failed because they’ve been victims of the harsh Darwinian dynamics discussed here. They have misunderstood markets, focused on the wrong market shares, and have employed strategy as a superficial exercise, calling in large consulting firms to provide the ‘air cover’ with the board…Organizations, public or private, cannot exist without customers or clients, members or subscribers. No matter the terminology, someone has to pay for the product or service which has value for them.”
August 25, 2024
Alan counterpoints the classical way of looking at strategy as a onerous 5-10 years divination, with the (modern?) need for quicker, more context-sensitive strategies with an horizon of 18 months. The book is easy to read and well structured, with frequent recaps and a nice summary epilogue.
April 16, 2023
I've read almost everything Alan Weiss wrote. His work is mostly about consulting business in which he has a strong brand.
The Sentient Strategy is the latest book by Alan Weiss and itsaboutstrategy. Since he consulted many companies about formulating and implementing strategy, he has to say something on the topic.
The book was created after the pandemic, and the main premise is that the old process of designing strategy is outdated (70 years old since Peter Drucker consulted General Motors). So the time was ripe for a new way of formulating strategy, which needs to be flexible and for a maximum of one year in advance.
This is my assessment of the book The Sentient Strategy by Alan Weiss according to my 8 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 4 stars
2. It prevails important - 3 stars
3. I agree with the read - 4 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non-English native) - 3 stars
5. Too long (more than 500 pages) - short and concise (150-200 pages) - 4 stars
6. Boring - every sentence is interesting - 4 stars
7. Learning opportunity - 4 stars
8. Dry and uninspired style of writing - Smooth style with humouristic and fun parts - 5 stars
Total 3,875 stars.
The Sentient Strategy is the latest book by Alan Weiss and itsaboutstrategy. Since he consulted many companies about formulating and implementing strategy, he has to say something on the topic.
The book was created after the pandemic, and the main premise is that the old process of designing strategy is outdated (70 years old since Peter Drucker consulted General Motors). So the time was ripe for a new way of formulating strategy, which needs to be flexible and for a maximum of one year in advance.
This is my assessment of the book The Sentient Strategy by Alan Weiss according to my 8 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 4 stars
2. It prevails important - 3 stars
3. I agree with the read - 4 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non-English native) - 3 stars
5. Too long (more than 500 pages) - short and concise (150-200 pages) - 4 stars
6. Boring - every sentence is interesting - 4 stars
7. Learning opportunity - 4 stars
8. Dry and uninspired style of writing - Smooth style with humouristic and fun parts - 5 stars
Total 3,875 stars.
May 6, 2023
terrific content, stupid publisher decision for ebook
Great content, exactly what you would expect from Weiss.
The ebook version is a pdf. Yes, pdf. Surprised Alan agreed to this. Stupid publisher.
Great content, exactly what you would expect from Weiss.
The ebook version is a pdf. Yes, pdf. Surprised Alan agreed to this. Stupid publisher.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews