# The "SQuARe" approach to strategy #permanentnote ## Source - [[Mike Smith]] ## Keywords (topics and howto) - [[topic - leading and managing]] - defining a strategy is part of the job and this approach make it tangible - [[topic - mentoring, advising and coaching]] - helping other leaders understand what strategy is and how to implement it is something rare - [[topic - simplification]] - [[how to be a better leader]] - defining a strategy is part of the job and this approach make it tangible - [[how to get stuff done well]] - as strategy is about solving a an important challenge by getting stuff done. - [[how to build trust]] having a clear strategy build trust in the people around - [[how to be a better advisor]] - [[how to be a better communicator]] having a clear definition of strategy helps creating the narrative ## Relevant notes - [[zt - be proactive]] by having a goal and a way to get to it - [[zt - story is king]] and when strategy is a story is has more chances of being done - [[zt - intent based leadership]] share the strategy and let people [[zt - hire brains not skills]][[zt - everyone is smart]] figure out how to do it [[zt - separate the thinking from the doing]] and [[zt - give space to the individual]] - [[zt - management and leadership]] - [[zt - chief simplification officer]] this is a simple definition of strategy - [[zt - without emotion there is no long-term memory]] by connecting the strategy to a challenge we create the narrative ([[zt - we see based on our narrative]], [[zt - story is king]]) that will put the strategy in eveybody's mind - [[zt - trust is a must for long term relationship]] build trust by providing simple strategy to clear problems - [[book - Wardley Maps]] as a way to identify the challenge, opportunities and the path forward. It can also be used to explain the strategy - Strategy focuses on limited objective having the biggest payoff [[zt - limit the loss but not the payoff]] - a good strategy helps keeping the competition at bay [[zt - about competition]] - [[zt - the square approach to strategy]] ## Notes - S - Situation - what is the current situation/what is happening - Qu - Question - what problems are the result of the situation we are in.  What difficulties or issues is the situation causing - A - Answer(s) - proposed resolution to rectify the situation - RE - Reasoned Evidence - proof of why the proposed resolution (answer) will work