The document contains notes and quotes from speakers at the 2010 Association for Strategic Planning annual conference. Some key themes discussed included: changing strategic planning from an annual event to an ongoing process; using "micro-strategies" to achieve tangible results within 100 days; identifying all organizational assets; understanding customer needs over competitor pricing; and the importance of leadership sustaining the strategic mindset and resources for implementation.

1. notes and quotes from the
Association for Strategic Planning
conference
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

2. change strategic planning
from a summer sport*
to a way of life
* once a year activity that you do for a little while before
going back to your normal routine
Robert Malchione, SVP
Corp. Strat. & Tech.,
Avery Dennison
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

3. in between long-term strategy and
day-to-day execution, use
micro-strategies:
bursts of coordinated thought out action
designed to produce tangible results with
group of people in 100 days
Dave Logan, Marshall
School of Business
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

4. an unidentifiable asset
is the same as a
non-existent one
(look hard to identify your assets)
Dave Logan, Marshall
School of Business
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

5. strategic planners are:
1. connectors –
– establish social/cultural relationships
– span different worlds, sub-cultures/niches
– enjoy bringing people together
2. mavens
– accumulators of knowledge and love to educate and
solve others’ problems
– involved in the guts of the business
3. evangelists
– optimistic, persuasive, context-based coaching
Gaye Clemson, Sr. Mgr.
Org. Plng. & Perf. Mgmt. ,
Cisco Systems
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

6. just because you’re not hearing from
someone doesn’t mean they’re not there
(it might mean you’re using the wrong technology
to connect with them)
Gaye Clemson, Sr. Mgr.
Org. Plng. & Perf. Mgmt. ,
Cisco Systems
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

7. understanding your competitors’ pricing is far
less important than understanding what your
customers want and need re: pricing
Seena Sharp, Sharp
Market Intelligence
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

8. when you do competitive intelligence
• good news is great – you can move faster, more
aggressively, more confidently
• bad news is better – you can stop and adjust,
and prevent wasting time/resources on
unprofitable/unsuccessful undertakings
Seena Sharp, Sharp
Market Intelligence
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

9. organizational change is simply
humans in transition
Daryl Conner, author of
Managing at the Speed
of Change
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

10. strategy and execution should be like good
neighbors
– friendly
– but there’s a fence
Daryl Conner, author of
Managing at the Speed
of Change
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

11. of 15 factors that contribute to strategy failure,
one is exponential:
the inability of leaders to sustain the mindset
and resources to drive strategy
Daryl Conner, author of
Managing at the Speed
of Change
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

12. generally there are three variables in
implementing strategy:
1. transformational intent (vs. incremental)
2. realization focused – i.e., achieving expected ROI
(vs. installation focused – i.e., putting something new into
place)
3. business imperative – how serious are we
the degree of difficulty increases exponentially
as each increases
Daryl Conner, author of
Managing at the Speed
of Change
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

13. the burning platform:
people have to believe the price of status quo
is higher than the cost to change
The Burning Platform Story
On a July evening in 1988, a disastrous explosion and fire
occurred on an oil-drilling platform in the North Sea off the
coast of Scotland. One hundred and sixty-six crew members
and two rescuers lost their lives in the worst catastrophe in the
25-year history of North Sea oil exploration. One of the 63 crew
members who survived was a superintendent on the rig, Andy
Mochan.
From his hospital bed, he told of being awakened by the
explosion and alarms. He said that he ran from his quarters to
the platform edge and jumped the fifteen stories from the
platform to the water. Because of the water's temperature, he
knew that he could live a maximum of only twenty minutes if
he were not rescued. Also, oil had surfaced and ignited. Yet
Andy jumped 150 feet in the middle of the night into an ocean
of burning oil and debris.
When asked why he took that potentially fatal leap, he did
not hesitate. He said, "It was either jump or fry." He chose
possible death over certain death. . . .
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

14. strategy must
be smart and have urgency/criticality
otherwise it’s just a good idea
(good ideas are like diets – we try them but when it
gets hard, we stop)
Daryl Conner, author of
Managing at the Speed
of Change
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

15. 4 roles in strategic change:
1. sponsors – sanction/legitimize it
2. targets – receive it
3. agents -- help carry-out/facilitate
4. advocates – want change but don’t have power
to implement
(agents and advocates need sponsors to make
change happen)
Daryl Conner, author of
Managing at the Speed
of Change
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

16. a consultant’s job isn’t to convince clients
we’re right;
it’s to help them make wise decisions
Daryl Conner, author of
Managing at the Speed
of Change
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

17. we fulfill our ethical responsibility by being
brutally frank
Daryl Conner, author of
Managing at the Speed
of Change
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10

18. the strategic process:
lead  think  plan  act  sustain
Strategy in Action: Positioning for Long-term Success in a Short-term World
ASP 2010 Annual Conference, 02.10