ABSTRACT
Strategy is more important than ever in the rapidly changing, hyper-customized, technology-fueled, got-to-know-now world. Targeted expertise and objective feedback are always welcome, but if managers want to set and really implement a strategy to achieve results, they must use those people who understand the nuances and can sweat collectively through the decisions. Executives need proximity to issues that impact their strategy so responses can be measured, meaningful and timely. Managers must be the one who put the heavy thinking in, participated in the heated debates and signed off on or agreed to the decisions around products, markets and capabilities that make up their strategy. This process of strategic thinking must not be outsourced. Recommendations from strategy consultants seem nice and neat, but rarely get implemented because they are not authored or owned by the people in their company. In every strategy that works, some people need to be changed out because new skills and capabilities are needed.
