The Strategy Cycle

FAQ

But what about…?

The most common objections, edge cases, and “yes, but…” questions I hear from people working through the strategy cycle.
This list will be updated over time.

  1. How long does this take, and what’s the fastest version? The fastest version is the strategy sketch. You can knock it out in two to four hours. The goal is to always have a working strategy, not a perfect one.
  2. Why is leading strategy so damn hard? Strategy is an act of creative leadership, not an analytical exercise. You’ve been fighting on three fronts at once: mental, social, and emotional.
  3. What about AI? Faster cars don’t make better drivers. Speed is a requirement, not an advantage. Don’t just build a faster car. Become a better driver.
  4. What if there’s no business strategy? You’re still on the hook for a product strategy—and you can make one. Fill the gap with educated guesses and assertions, then pressure-test them.
  5. What if we don’t have a product vision? Well, you should make one. The fastest way to an 80%-there vision is a single lively conversation about your ideal customer’s future.
  6. What if we have no differentiation? There are three flavors of this problem. Two are fixable fast. One means your value thesis is broken.
  7. What if I’m new to the company? The framework helps you get up to speed faster. The rule of thumb: go fast on learning, slow on announcing.
  8. What about 0–1 products? Two things change: hold everything lightly, and run faster cycles.
  9. What about a product portfolio? Designed for a single product, but it works at the portfolio level too. Each product still needs its own value thesis.
  10. What about feature-level work? Strategic thinking applies across all altitudes with nested scopes. At the feature level, it’s inherited from the overarching product strategy.
  11. How does strategy affect team topology? Strategy should shape structure, not the other way around. Change structure only when the strategy demands it.