The end of strategy? | a Richard Mulholland & Jon Cherry debate

Has the time come to finally call it on strategy?

Is the world now changing so quickly that the art and science of strategy has become redundant?

Richard Mulholland and I explored this question in an online debate recently.

On reflection, it does feel as though this is a topic that could benefit from further enquiry and a deeper understanding of how strategy itself is defined.

Over the weekend I was chatting to Rob Heyns (Yuppiechef legend and founder of Avante Brandy) who was remarking that there still isn't a clear understanding of exactly what strategy is; or brand for that matter; nor innovation. These vital aspects of business growth are usually left to subjective interpretation and are often clouded by less than favourable personal perceptions of their practical usefulness.

In our experience, thinking pragmatically about the future and crafting an approach with the intention of making a huge success of an organisation and what it offers is a valuable asset that's worth far more than the time and effort it takes to do it properly. If organisations willingly choose to forgo this opportunity because of a tightly held ideology, then there is little we can do to change their minds. But choosing to develop a strategy competence within an organisation can never be a waste for those with future aspirations.