How the Very Best Strategists Decide

When we need to make a decision, we tend to ask "What should we do?" However, it narrows our thinking to one right decision.

If we ask the question: "What could we do?"  it broadens our decision-making frame, because we can consider multiple futures. Could ask what if, what else, and why not.

For example: Ask what would be the equivalent in your industry of something that’s working well in another.

Strategy development and internal reviews often center on precedents, trends, and due diligence. They address"what will happen."  Change the question to "what may happen" :

• Role-play other parties.
• Listen to assumptions in the way a strategy is supposed to work.
• Watch out for confirmation bias, overconfidence, survivor bias, and groupthink.
• Forecast your competitors' results.
• Beware of missing pieces in the tools you use.