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Chris Bolman

Strategy: Essential Foundations for Management, Consulting and Startup Success is a complete, comprehensive introduction and overview of strategy and strategic management, taught by Chris Bolman, an entrepreneur, startup advisor and former VP of Marketing / Head of Growth at Percolate.

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Strategy: Essential Foundations for Management, Consulting and Startup Success is a complete, comprehensive introduction and overview of strategy and strategic management, taught by Chris Bolman, an entrepreneur, startup advisor and former VP of Marketing / Head of Growth at Percolate.

In this class, I do my best to distill and explain:

  1. The history and origins of strategy
  2. The most influential strategy frameworks and mental models
  3. How great strategists think
  4. An actionable framework to help you quickly develop, design and execute your own strategies
  5. My personal lessons learned as a strategist, management consultant and technology leader

Through the lessons in this course, I'll distill the last 10 years of my career, and I'm confident I have a lot of helpful, actionable insights to share. Whether you're a leader, executive, manager, consultant, advertising agency planner, small business owner or anyone else looking to improve their strategic decision-making, this course is for you.

Hope you'll join me.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objective

By the end of this class you'll understand the key elements of a successful strategy, how to develop, present and communicate your own successful strategies, and what makes strategies win

Syllabus

Introduction

An introduction and overview of the class

The goals and structure of this course.

Some important principles every strategist should understand and keep in mind.

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Learn what strategy really is and consist of, how modern strategy came to be, and the most influential early strategists

Let's define what "strategy" is.

A look at the first strategists in history and their contribution to later strategic thinking.

Where does the word "strategy" come from?

A brief look at Carl von Clausewitz, who's book "On War" is one of the most influential works of modern military strategy. 

How to think about strategy like a story or narrative.

How to think about strategy like an algorithm or operating logic.

Strategy, particularly within organizations, is hierarchical. Here's what that means and why it's important.

In this lesson we discuss the five essential levels every strategy should include.

Learn some of the most influential and important strategy frameworks from Harvard Business School (HBS), McKinsey, JWT and game theory

This lesson looks at Frederick Taylor, the founder of "scientific management," and his influence on later strategists, including Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company.

This lesson looks at two of the most famous early strategy teachers at Harvard Business School (HBS).

BCG was the first consultancy to develop a "strategy" practice.

This lesson describes McKinsey's four most important and influential strategy frameworks. I use -- and see these frameworks used by others -- all the time throughout strategic planning, forecasting and business analysis.

Advertising agency J. Walter Thompson originates the concept of "Account Planning" (advertising strategy) in the late 1960's and early 1970's. 

This lesson explains game theory and it's relationship with strategy.

This lesson discussed strategic planning, how it works, and how strategists use it as part of their forecasting process.

To conclude our module on influential strategy frameworks, we look at Michael Porter's "Five Forces" model. 

These six building blocks can be used as a strategy development process to create, communicate and execute successful strategies

In this module, we examine the Six Building Blocks of Strategy, what they are, and how you should use and think about them in your own work.

Building Block #1: Problem (Clarity)

Building Block #2: Strategic Insights

Building Block #1: Structuring Your Strategy (Solution Structuring)

Building Block #4: Strategic Planning

Building Block #5: Translating Strategy to Action

Building Block #6: Results, Research and Learnings (and How to Close the Loop on Your Strategy)

A review and conclusion of this module on Building Blocks.

Here we review the key concepts of the course, talk about some important principles for why strategies win, and conclude with your final assignment

In this lesson, we summarize the course learnings by looking at this six important themes (design patterns) for why strategies win and establish competitive advantages.

My concluding thoughts on strategy, and an outline of my ask for you in your parting assignment.

This is the essay that originally inspired the class. As you can see, I've made modifications and added additional content to the class itself (particularly a lot of visuals). But I also wanted to provide a link to the original which shares a lot of the core course ideas and materials if you'd like to read, reference or share it. 

Access this link to get my supplemental Growth Strategy Template materials, including a Google Doc link to my Strategy Brief Template.

Write (and/or Diagram) a Strategy Statement or Strategic Plan

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Develops basic and advanced skills in strategy, one of the most fundamental components overseeing teams and managers
Taught by Chris Bolman, a recognized professional in the field of strategy and marketing
Examines real world examples of businesses' strategies so that learners can easily understand concepts
Explotes influential strategy frameworks from Harvard Business School (HBS) and McKinsey which are industry-standard tools for teams everywhere
Teaches a step-by-step framework to develop, design and execute your own strategic plans
Appropriate for job seekers, consultants, agency planners, business owners, executives, managers and other decision-makers who seek to create a complete strategy

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Strategy: Essentials for Management, Consulting & Startups with these activities:
Find a mentor who can provide guidance on strategy and strategic management
Finding a mentor can provide you with valuable insights and guidance from someone who has experience in the field of strategy and strategic management.
Browse courses on Mentorship
Show steps
  • Identify your goals and objectives for mentorship
  • Research potential mentors
  • Reach out to potential mentors and request a meeting
Review past course notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams
Refreshing past knowledge and skills on strategy can build a strong foundational understanding before beginning this course.
Browse courses on Strategy
Show steps
  • Gather past course materials, including notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams
  • Review key concepts, frameworks, and models from previous courses
  • Summarize important takeaways and insights to reinforce understanding
Read 'Good Strategy/Bad Strategy' by Richard Rumelt
This book provides a clear and concise framework for developing and evaluating strategies.
Show steps
  • Read the book
  • Summarize the key concepts of the book
  • Apply the concepts of the book to your own work
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Attend a workshop on strategy and strategic management
Attending a workshop can provide you with an opportunity to learn from experts in the field of strategy and strategic management.
Show steps
  • Research workshops on strategy and strategic management
  • Identify a workshop that meets your needs
  • Register for the workshop
  • Attend the workshop
  • Apply the concepts learned in the workshop to your own work
Develop a personal strategic plan
Creating a personal strategic plan will help you apply the concepts of strategy and strategic management to your own life and career.
Browse courses on Strategic Planning
Show steps
  • Define your goals and objectives
  • Identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
  • Develop strategies to achieve your goals
  • Implement your strategies
  • Monitor and evaluate your progress
Practice developing and evaluating strategies using case studies
Practicing developing and evaluating strategies using case studies can help you develop your skills in strategic thinking.
Browse courses on Case Studies
Show steps
  • Find case studies that are relevant to your interests
  • Analyze the case studies to identify the key issues
  • Develop strategies to address the key issues
  • Evaluate the strategies that you develop
  • Present your strategies to others for feedback
Develop a business case for a new product or service
Developing a business case for a new product or service will help you apply the concepts of strategy and strategic management to a real-world situation.
Browse courses on Business Case Development
Show steps
  • Identify a market opportunity
  • Develop a solution to the market opportunity
  • Estimate the costs and benefits of the solution
  • Write a business case that outlines the opportunity, solution, and costs and benefits
  • Present your business case to potential investors or stakeholders

Career center

Learners who complete Strategy: Essentials for Management, Consulting & Startups will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Strategy Consulting Analyst
As a Strategy Consulting Analyst, you will be responsible for helping clients develop and implement strategies to improve their performance. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to develop, present, and communicate successful strategies, and you will gain insights into what makes strategies win. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work with clients to help them achieve their goals.
Management Consultant
Management Consultants advise businesses on how to improve their performance. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to analyze a business's situation, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and develop and recommend solutions to improve its performance. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work with clients to help them achieve their goals.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts help businesses identify and solve problems. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to analyze a business's situation, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and develop and recommend solutions to improve its performance. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work with businesses to help them achieve their goals.
Product Manager
Product Managers are responsible for developing and managing products. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to develop, present, and communicate successful strategies, and you will gain insights into what makes strategies win. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work to develop and launch successful products.
Marketing Manager
Marketing Managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to develop, present, and communicate successful strategies, and you will gain insights into what makes strategies win. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work to develop and execute successful marketing campaigns.
Project Manager
Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to develop, present, and communicate successful strategies, and you will gain insights into what makes strategies win. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work to plan, execute, and close successful projects.
Operations Manager
Operations Managers are responsible for planning and executing the day-to-day operations of a business. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to develop, present, and communicate successful strategies, and you will gain insights into what makes strategies win. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work to plan and execute successful operations.
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs start and run their own businesses. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to develop, present, and communicate successful strategies, and you will gain insights into what makes strategies win. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work to start and grow your own business.
Financial Analyst
Financial Analysts help businesses make financial decisions. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to analyze a business's financial performance, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and develop and recommend solutions to improve its financial performance.
Investment Banker
Investment Bankers help businesses raise capital. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to analyze a business's financial performance, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and develop and recommend solutions to improve its financial performance. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work to help businesses raise capital.
Sales Manager
Sales Managers are responsible for leading and managing sales teams. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to develop, present, and communicate successful sales strategies, and you will gain insights into what makes sales strategies win.
Marketing Researcher
Marketing Researchers conduct research to help businesses understand their customers and markets. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to develop, present, and communicate successful research strategies, and you will gain insights into what makes research strategies win.
Management Information Systems Analyst
Management Information Systems Analysts help businesses design and implement information systems. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to analyze a business's information needs, develop and recommend solutions to meet those needs, and implement those solutions successfully.
Data Analyst
Data Analysts help businesses make decisions based on data. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to analyze data, identify trends and patterns, and develop and recommend solutions to improve business performance.
Statistician
Statisticians collect, analyze, and interpret data. This course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategy and strategic management. You will learn how to design and conduct statistical studies, analyze data, and interpret results. This knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to you as you work to help businesses make decisions based on data.

Reading list

We've selected 15 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Strategy: Essentials for Management, Consulting & Startups.
Provides a comprehensive overview of strategy and strategic management, covering a wide range of topics including the history of strategy, the different schools of thought on strategy, and the process of developing and implementing a successful strategy. It would be a valuable reference for students who want to learn more about the theory and practice of strategy.
Provides a clear and concise framework for developing good strategy. It explains the difference between good and bad strategy and provides a number of examples of successful and unsuccessful strategies.
Provides insights into the challenges faced by large organizations in innovating. It explains why large organizations often fail to innovate and provides a number of recommendations for how to overcome these challenges.
Provides a practical guide to developing and implementing a lean startup. It explains how to test and validate ideas quickly and cheaply, and how to pivot when necessary.
Provides a practical guide to getting customers for a startup. It explains how to identify and target potential customers, and how to develop and implement a marketing and sales strategy.
Provides a framework for marketing and selling technology products to mainstream customers. It explains the different challenges that companies face when crossing the chasm from early adopters to mainstream customers.
Provides a parable about the five dysfunctions that can prevent a team from being successful. It offers practical advice on how to overcome these dysfunctions and build a high-performing team.
Argues that organizational health is more important than anything else in business. It explains how to create a healthy organization and how to avoid the common pitfalls that can lead to organizational decline.
Provides an overview of the Toyota Production System (TPS). It explains the 14 principles of TPS and how they can be used to improve productivity and quality.
Provides a framework for building a great company. It explains the five key factors that distinguish great companies from good companies.
Provides a framework for identifying and developing the skills of a disruptive innovator. It explains the five key skills that are essential for success in disruptive innovation.

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