Strategic Thinking with Alex Nesbitt

Software Delivery in Small Batches

In this episode of Small Batches, host Adam Hawkins welcomes Alex Nesbitt, a strategy expert and member of the Flow Collective, to delve into the nuances of strategic thinking. The discussion covers different types of strategies, pro-tips on strategic thinking, and how strategy relates to the concept of flight levels.

Nesbitt shares insights from his extensive consulting career, touching on topics like identifying leverage points, the relationship between strategy and tactics, and why being strategic is often more critical than having a strategy. The episode also stresses the importance of having a clear vision, enabling organizational constraints, and the roles of resilience and maintenance in strategic planning. Alex mentions practical examples, resources, and tips to help software and business leaders enhance their strategic approach.

Want more?

• 🚀 New listener? Start with the introduction.
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• 🧭 Get the Small Batches Way guide to software delivery excellence
• 🥋 Software Kaizen: My One-on-One System for Engineering Leadership
• 📘 Playing to Win by Lafely & Martin
• 📘 Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Rumelt
• 📘 The Effective Executive by Drucker
• 🧠 Effectuation Theory

Chapters

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:17) - Alex's Background
• (04:52) - What is Strategy?
• (08:10) - The Shadow Strategy
• (12:56) - How to Practice Strategy
• (22:03) - Software Architecture & Strategy
• (25:33) - Strategy & Being Strategic
• (29:50) - Five Pillars of Strategic Thinking
• (34:46) - Pain of Bad Strategy
• (37:22) - Alex's Tip for Surviving Ambiquitous Strategy
• (38:38) - Strategy Deployment & Hoshin Kanri
• (42:47) - Tip of Software Development
• (48:03) - Alex's Recommend Resources
• (52:47) - Adam's Takeaway & Segue into AI
• (55:19) - Alex's Links
• (57:19) - Outro

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