‘This wonderful book is the first to solve a near-universal problem: communicating strategic ideas is just as hard and just as important as coming up with them in the first place, and both are visual activities. The question is not “Do you understand?” but “Do you see?”'
William Duggan, Professor at Columbia University and author of Strategic Intuition and The Seventh Sense
‘This book shows how to draw an organization's strategy so you see what's been considered, what's not been considered, and how things are related. Strategy building is presented as a fun and involving learning process. The approach is revolutionary in that it enables not only the development but also the easy sharing of strategic understanding.'
Roger L.M. Dunbar, Emeritus Professor, Stern School of Business, New York University
‘I am delighted that at last someone has grasped this idea and come up with a way to help us demonstrate strategic plans and ambitions in a creative new way. A drawing can encapsulate what 10,000 words can't do. By harnessing our innate creativity we can improve strategic communication, comprehension and implementation. This book could provide a vital new tool to help hard-pressed leaders to demonstrate strategic vision and deliver real strategic impact.'
Vikki Heywood CBE, Chair of The Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and former Executive Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company
‘As a time-pressed executive it was a delight to find a book that I can dip into to find the best strategic frameworks – those that have proved the test of time and academic scrutiny as being truly useful in the workplace. Even better for an inveterate scribbler: endorsement that a picture and “permission to play” with ideas visually really does say a thousand words and more!'
Sarah Mitson, Global Business Director, TNSGlobal
‘This is an invaluable resource for any executive wanting to improve engagement in strategy development and communication. The accessible layout means that the book itself can play an active and inspiring role in strategy discussions.'
Matt Thomas, Director, Braxton Associates, Strategy Consultants and Divisional Chief Executive, Meyer International Plc
‘At last a book that grasps the implications of recent psychology: people think visually as well as verbally. The authors provide powerful visual devices that will both help managers conceive better strategies and enable their people to execute them more effectively.'
Richard Whittington, Professor of Strategic Management at Saïd Business School, Oxford University and author of Exploring Strategy
'A powerful approach to make strategy more engaging again! Strategy Builder is a landmark book and is destined to make an important impact to the field of strategy, strategizing and strategic management. Executives across the board (and students of strategy) will find the core message of this book counterintuitive and compelling. The idea of “drawing” strategy may seem like child's play, yet all great strategists and philosophers know that it is through such “serious play” that we're allowed to see things differently so that we can see different things.'
Robert Wright, Professor of Strategy at Hong Kong Polytechnic University
This edition first published 2015
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ISBN 978-1-118-70723-4 (hardback) ISBN 978-1-118-70718-0 (ebk)
ISBN 978-1-118-70716-6 (ebk)
Cover Design: Wiley
Cover Image: © PGMart/Shutterstock.com
Illustrations conceived by Stephen Cummings and Duncan Angwin, drawn by Rebecca Walthall
Thanks to Mairead, and to Kay
And special thanks to: Rosemary Nixon, David Wilson, Robin Wensley, John McGee, Peter Doyle, Haridimos Tsoukas, Rob Grant, Eric Cassells, Matt Thomas, Gibson Burrell, Harminder Singh, Peter McKiernan, Roger Dunbar, Richard Dunford, Chris Smith, Chris Bilton, Urs Daellenbach, Sally Davenport, Sally Riad, Adam Martin, Sophia Lum, Luisa Acheson, Megan Key, Noelle Donnelly, Bob Galliers, Jane Parker, Colin Campbell-Hunt and Sebastian Green.
And our many inspirational students at Victoria University, Oxford Brookes University, Saïd Business School, Oxford University, Georgetown University, Chinese University Hong Kong, Tongji University Shanghai, Melbourne Business School, University of Warwick, ENPC Paris, EHTP Casablanca, Mediterranean School of Business, Tunisia and Vlerick Business School, Belgium.