Excerpt: Chapter 5, “Executing Big Think"

How to Pull the Ship over the Mountain

Formulating a strategy is very important in Big Think, but it is not enough to win. Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu’s dictum that “every battle is won before it is ever fought” must be complemented by U.S. boxer Mike Tyson’s alleged punch line “Everybody has a plan, until they get hit in the face.”[...]

Executing a Big Think strategy is different from implementing a more traditional strategy. It is at the same time more challenging and demanding, and more exciting and rewarding. You are in untested territory, but you can make a big difference. You run the risk of failing, but you may also become the envy of the entire industry. You may get hit in the face, or you may walk away as a hero with just a few scratches[...].

Big Think strategy does not sit on the wall like a beautiful canvas; it is a dynamic document laying out creative ideas in detail and in sequence like a musical score. As part of the execution, you must specify milestones and plan for quick wins. Another hurdle you will face is environmental changes. You must adjust your execution accordingly: there is not enough time to align the entire organization perfectly; instead, be flexible in organizing teams and structures. The final hurdle is to get people outside the organization excited about your Big Think. For that to happen, you must cause a big splash in the marketplace.