if we're going to have a good strategy we've got to think clearly about what strategy is and we've got to separate uh strategy from the other kind of uh uh of goals and objectives and and and issues that that managers often think about uh on this slide are really The Big Three mistakes in terms of defining strategy mistake number one my strategy is to internationalize I hear that kind of thing all the time my strategy is to consolidate my industry my strategy is to ramp up my R&D budget my strategy is to Outsource more of my production is that a strategy no uh those are steps that your organization may want to take they may be good steps they may be appropriate steps they aren't a strategy the strategy is what you Position will we be able to achieve what's our advantage going to be at the end of the day as we take these steps cumulatively over time that's the strategy part the strategy Parts about how are we going to be unique how are we going to have an advantage how are we going to sustain that advantage over time the steps we take are not the strategy but you'd be surprised how many companies get themselves fixated on a particular action that they want their organization to take and that becomes the strategy and of course it then often drives the company literally off the cliff because they kind of don't understand why they're doing it and when they should stop doing [Music] it