Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters
Defining what strategy actually means and how to create it
"A good strategy has an essential logical structure that I call the kernel."
— Richard Rumelt
My Review
Rumelt cuts through strategic fluff to the essence: a good strategy is a coherent response to a challenge. His kernel of strategy - diagnosis, guiding policy, coherent actions - maps to how organisms respond to environmental challenges.
Why It Matters
Rumelt provides clarity on what strategy actually is. His framework maps to biological response to challenges - sense the environment, form a response, coordinate action.
Key Ideas
- Strategy is a coherent response to a challenge
- The kernel: diagnosis, guiding policy, coherent actions
- Most 'strategy' is actually just goals or fluff
- Leverage and focus beat diffuse effort
How It Connects to This Framework
The framework's emphasis on environmental sensing, coherent response, and coordinated action.
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