Everyone knows strategy is important. But many feel uncomfortable making strategic decisions because it’s based on something unknown – the future.
At Pearl, we use strategic frameworks to bring more clarity, confidence and commitment to strategic decisions. One of our favourite frameworks is the Business Matrix. This framework can be applied to a diverse range of strategy opportunity areas – Consumer Targets, Channel Priorities and Innovation Opportunities.
After identifying strategy opportunity areas, assess them with the following 3 criteria:
– Business Potential
– Right to Win
– Capacity to Win
Assign each opportunity area a traffic light for each criteria – green for high delivery, yellow for moderate delivery, and red for low delivery. The opportunity area with the most green traffic lights is your highest potential opportunity. Let’s take a closer look at the 3 strategy assessment criteria.
Business Potential is the assessment of the opportunity area’s size and growth potential. Key questions to consider:
– Does this opportunity area have scale?
– Does this opportunity area provide a financial return that warrants investing time and resources?
– Does this opportunity area have the potential to deliver above average growth into the future?
Right to Win is the assessment of your organization’s level of competitive advantage or differentiation in each opportunity area. Key questions to consider:
– Can you deliver a relevant point of difference versus the competition?
– Is your point of difference sustainable?
– Are there any barriers to entry that will make it difficult for you to win?
Capacity to Win is the assessment of your organization’s ability to successfully execute against each opportunity area. Key questions to consider:
– Does your organization have the capabilities, resources, processes, management systems to successfully deliver against each opportunity area?
– Are your internal stakeholders aligned to the opportunity area?
The Business Matrix framework is an effective process to guide your strategy decision making process. Leveraging it can help you make strategic choices with more clarity, confidence and commitment.
