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Passion, People and Principles

New Strategy Podcast Episode: “Strategy Means Saying No”

post # 155 — August 8, 2006 — a General, Strategy post

This week’s podcast episode, the fourth in my 14-part series on strategy, is entitled “Strategy Means Saying No.”

Based on my article of the same name , it points out that most businesses in an industry end up looking the same because they offer the same services to the same key clients, and stress the same client benefits.

They do so because they don’t have the courage to accomplish a true differentiation by saying no to off-strategy work.

The podcast includes a discussion of:

  • The key to strategic distinction: the courage to turn away business.
  • Why saying No is hard – and how to get past the excuses
  • The sincere leader’s challenge: convince people you really want change

You can listen to this week’s seminar with the player just above this paragraph or download this episode. You can also subscribe to the podcast at my podcast page, or with iTunes, Yahoo! Podcasts or Podcast Alley.

The podcast also draws from ideas I discuss in these 3 previous conversations on my blog:

Have you ever had the experience of working with a leader who had the courage to say no? Do you have any insight to offer as to how an individual OR an organization finds the “courage to stay the course?”

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