Acerca da formulação de uma narrativa estratégica

Formular uma estratégia não é um desafio analítico.

"Executives often know they must break with the status quo, but there are few signposts indicating the best way forward.
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Because the future is essentially unknowable, leaders must rely on the past for information and insight. Moreover, given that the future is unknown, there are likely to be differences and conflicts within the organization about what that future might hold. Such conflicts can impede progress on the development and execution of new strategies — especially innovative strategies that depart significantly from a company’s current approach to the market.
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A new future could not shape strategic choices unless it was connected into a narrative that showed its connections with the past and the present. When managers settled on a particular narrative, they could make choices.
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Our study revealed that future projections are intimately tied to interpretations of the past and the present. Strategy making amid volatility thus involves constructing and reconstructing strategic narratives that reimagine the past and present in ways that allow the organization to explore multiple possible futures.
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strategy making was about constructing new narratives that tie together interpretations of the past, present and future. That is, effective projections of the future must be connected to resonant understandings of the present and past. [Moi ici: Espaço de Minkowski]
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A particular view of the future shaped and was shaped by certain understandings of history and present priorities. Envisioning new futures provoked reassessments of the past and present, just as new understandings of current concerns triggered new imaginings of the future and alternative versions of history. Negotiating these interpretive differences proved to be central to strategy making in practice. We refer to this activity as constructing strategic narratives that link together efforts to re-imagine future possibilities, rethink past routines and reconsider present concerns.
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strategic choices were only possible if managers could settle on a particular narrative. We found that for a narrative to guide strategic choices, it had to be coherent, plausible and acceptable to most key stakeholders within the company."

Lições a tirar:

"First, making strategy is not about accurate forecasting. You must consider the multiple interpretations of present concerns and historical trajectories that help to constitute those forecasts. Though the future will likely not turn out the way it was projected, this does not mean that projections do not matter. Articulating projections shapes attention, deliberation, investment and effort.
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Second, achieving an innovative future is not about forgetting the past.
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We found instead that managers need to engage directly with the past to shape a narrative that connects a particular understanding of history to a new future direction.
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Third, strategy making is not about getting the “right” narrative. It’s about getting a narrative that is good enough for now, so that the organization can move forward and take action in uncertain times. This recognizes that strategy will in some ways always be evolving and “emergent.” Our view of strategy making suggests that the narratives that managers construct will shape the direction of future actions, just as those actions, in turn, will lead to further reconfiguring of the company’s strategic narratives over time."

Trechos retirados de "Beyond Forecasting: Creating New Strategic Narratives"