Category Archives: Strategy

25 Ways to Lead Your Market

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Stuart Cross

In yesterday’s post – see here – I set out that you had to be #1 in your market, in some form, or risk your ability to grow and thrive. But what are the different ways you can lead your … Continue reading →

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#1 or Gone: Why You Must Become A Market Leader

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Stuart Cross

Which airline is the #1 player? If you ask this question in the USA, you’ll probably find that Southwest Airlines is the leader, while in Europe it’s Ryanair. If you look at long-haul flights then Singapore Airlines is often passengers’ … Continue reading →

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Remember, Nothing Fails Like Success

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Stuart Cross

Many companies struggle and fail, not because they are bad at what they do, but because they are great at what they do. Look at Kodak, for example. Its decline didn’t result from the company being poor at film processing. … Continue reading →

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The Customer’s Not Always Right, But That’s The Way To Bet

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Stuart Cross

In dynamic, turbulent and fast-moving markets, driven by almost unbelievable technological advancements, you can easily become distracted by the noise and activity in your markets and forget this critical business truth. You do so at your peril. Like a party … Continue reading →

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Strategy Is Like Football – They Both Need A Goal

Posted on June 8, 2017 by Stuart Cross

This is the second in a series of articles expanding on my recent post, Strategic Power: A Manifesto to Revolutionise Growth. When I coach my junior football teams and we’re doing passing exercises, the boys can quickly lose enthusiasm. But … Continue reading →

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The Truth Can’t Hurt You

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Stuart Cross

This is the first in 12 short articles expanding on my recent post, Strategic Power: A Manifesto to Revolutionise Growth A relatively little-known 1980s Elvis Costello song, I Want You, has these lines: The truth can’t hurt you It’s just … Continue reading →

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Strategic Power: My Manifesto to Revolutionise Growth

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Stuart Cross

At its heart, strategy is pretty simple: it’s about creating a clear direction and ambition that will drive your future success. But, as we all know, very few organisations succeed in either developing or delivering a strategy that delivers sustained … Continue reading →

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5 Ways To Keep Your Strategy On Track

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Stuart Cross

In the late 1990s, I took up my first major strategy role, leading the strategy team at the UK retail and pharmacy chain, Boots the Chemists. Not long after I started my role things changed for Boots – and not … Continue reading →

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8 Ways To Accelerate The Delivery Of Your Strategy

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Stuart Cross

I’m currently working with a UK retailer to help accelerate the delivery of its new strategic agenda. The company, and its leadership team, is in a common position. Although the executive team has worked hard to find a clear way … Continue reading →

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Strategy’s 7 Fatal Flaws

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Stuart Cross

In my experience, many successful CEOs and senior executives dislike the time they have to spend on developing strategy. There are two reasons for this: First, strategy is seen as being difficult. Consultants and academics have somehow succeeded in creating … Continue reading →

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