Reviewed by Janet Schijns
When leading a business there are two choices regarding growth planning — have a wishbone or have a backbone. Having a wishbone means you have a dream or a vision, but you may not have the strategic stamina to achieve that vision in a disciplined, effective, efficient and profitable manner. Over time, that wishbone makes business owners and leaders frustrated and tired but not necessarily any better off than when they made their “growth wish.”
On the flip side, having a business backbone means you not only have a dream or a vision but you also possess the all important skills and discipline to develop the strategy and the plan to make growth happen regardless of the obstacles you encounter. Over time that backbone is what attracts top talent, the best customers and profitable growth to a business.
Sadly, too often business leaders, mired in the day-to-day activities of the business, lack the competitive knowledge, strategic insight, or formal process to develop the next great strategy for their business. In other words they want the backbone but they are stuck clutching a wishbone.
This book is a veritable blueprint on how to develop your ability to think strategically. It teaches three key disciplines — acumen, allocation and action — and how to use them in your business via practical examples and real-world tools you can apply now. In short, “Deep Dive” can help you grow a backbone.
Janet Schijns is vice president of global training and knowledge management for the Enterprise Mobility Solutions (EMS) business at Motorola Inc ., a new post where she is responsible for delivering business and technology learning strategies for EMS employees, channel partners and customers. Previously, as head of global channels, she developed EMS’ new PartnerEmpower channel program.
