Act 1: Commit to an identity
Tools to help you apply this act
Conventional wisdom might lead a company to focus on growth, looking for revenue wherever it seems most available. But the unconventional companies we have studied commit to an identity. They focus their efforts on developing a solid value proposition and building distinctive capabilities that will last for the long term. Then they are flexible within that context, moving rapidly into new competitive arenas at times, but only into those where their identity makes them well-equipped to win.
Coherence test
This coherence diagnostic is meant to be taken in a small group, as the exercise benefits from more than one person's perspective. Talk through the answers to these questions and identify potential sources of incoherence — both strategic and operational — in your company.
Strategy Profiler
Do you have a winning strategy?
Is your company strategically adrift? Or capability constrained? Or are you on the way to becoming a supercompetitor? Find out in a few minutes how well your company is positioned for success. This short survey will help you identify potential areas for improvement based on your unique starting position.
Way-to-play tool
One can generally start thinking about a company’s way-to-play by looking at common, generic ways of creating value. These are what we call puretone ways to play.
This tool shows the puretones we work with most frequently. Click on any of the puretones and you will see a short definition and business examples. If you have observed additional puretone ways to play in the market, let us know by clicking on the "Suggest a puretone" tab at the bottom right of the grid.
Most companies are not fully captured by one single puretone way-to-play. Clicking on any company name at the bottom of the screen will show you the puretones that contribute to its way-to-play.
Right-to-win exercise
In the process of developing a Capabilities-Driven Strategy, you will identify alternative ways to play that your company could pursue. This exercise will help you determine whether a given way to play gives your company a right to win.
