If you have been following our reinvention-based series of columns here in The Wholesaler, I have surely been trying to drive home the point that the competitive landscape could not be more different than what it was only a short time ago. The accelerated pace demands that companies move from occasional improvement projects to a continuous reinvention process. In short, we’ve entered an era where continuous turbulence demands continuous reinvention. 

It seems to me, therefore, that other important questions would be: “What does this mean for the way we strategize?” “What tools and approaches should we be using?”

So, I’ve decided to break down my comments into two separate columns:

this column, “Behaviors that Unite,” about the mindsets required to be successful in any reinvention effort; and “A Deliberate vs. Emergent Strategy,” planned to appear in an upcoming issue.So stay tuned!

Behaviors that unite

Successful individuals and companies tend to have a commonality to their success; behaviors that unite them regardless of the industry or culture they operate in, even the country in which they reside. They are things that allow them to thrive consistently over the long run.

They are a sense of perspective, an ability to be perceptive, a hunger to pioneer and a constant persistence.

• Perspective. With time and experience comes a sense of perspective, an understanding that the world does not revolve around oneself or the company. This allows one to become more empathetic and generous, and invest in relationships — relationships for the long run.

A sense of perspective also brings with it the realization that life and career will bring a tangle of good and bad, ups and downs. To succeed, one needs to grimace and march on without losing all sense of proportion.

Perspective is also important for companies, as it helps them see where they fit within their ecosystems. They can determine both whom to partner with and how to visualize their category broadly enough to see opportunities and threats beyond a narrow slice of geography, time or market. 

• Perceptiveness. The dictionary defines someone who is perceptive as one who is “very good at noticing and understanding things that many people do not notice.” This can be about how one deals with people, seeing a niche or hiccup in a process that many may miss or being self-aware of one’s weaknesses and attitudes. For instance, our data informs us, but insight and wisdom are extracted by the perceptive.

Perception means being close to our customers and market trends and paying attention to the little signals. It’s a combination of “emotional quotient” and an increased sensitivity to the finer shades of things. Our perception, and their power and precision, will drive profitable results.

• Pioneering. Long-lasting firms innovate, invent and are idea-driven. They do not let their roots tie them down but rather use the roots to “feed their wings to fly to the future.” These innovations can span a range of a company’s systems, from supply chain and logistics to customer service, and beyond, such as rethinking its business. So, there are many forms of pioneering.

• Persistence. Part of persistence is continued practice — of a craft, a skill, an art. In all my recent columns on the topic of the need for frequent reinvention, I’ve emphasized the need to “build a habit.” Much of that is persistence; recognizing that it is in the doing — the improvements, the reinvention and repair — that forges us in the furnace of industry and life.

A deliberate vs. emergent strategy? 

In Part 2, I’ll attempt to answer the question of which tools and approaches we should use. In a world of constant disruption, which “school of strategy” is more useful today? Which works the best today?

So, as a first ‘taste,’ a starter, consider this:

• Deliberate strategy. This emphasizes careful planning before taking action. It’s built on the idea that the most important decisions are made before a single step is taken. Once these decisions are made, implementation becomes a separate process of pure execution. Little to no adjustments are allowed. 

For decades now, this approach has worked well, providing a clear roadmap for stability and growth in a predictable environment. However, today’s environment is anything but stable. What about adaptation?

• Emergent strategy. Instead of mapping out every step in advance, it this approach emphasizes trying, learning and adapting along the way. Here, strategy emerges over time as plans collide with — and accommodate — the ever-changing reality. It doesn’t view strategy as a rigid plan; it creates an agile process that allows for continuous reinvention.

So, there is and will be much to cover on this topic.

My invitation to you? Stay tuned!