Arnie’s secret weapon can help you do strategy better
I love Arnie. He’s a literal enigma. He’s succeeded at the top echelons as a sportsman, movie star, politician and investor. And yes, he’s erred - which only makes him seem more human.
If you’re unaware of his exploits let me establish his credibility;
- he dominated a sport for nearly a decade (while literally putting it on the map)
- the most bankable action star for a decade
- one of the most powerful politicians in the USA for almost a decade
- a hugely successful real estate investor (most of his wealth - reported to now be worth $1b. Its not all about money, but that's a veritable shit-tonne).
When you read about him, all the way back to the time of the Pumping Iron documentary, he states clearly that the only thing that separated him from others, is his ability to see his future clearly. He spends a considerable amount of time sitting in reflection and imagining himself having achieved the thing, over and over again. Like many sportspeople, but not many business people…
Back to business, you may be familiar with Jim Collin’s? He’s one of the most prolific and respected business writers of the last 25 years - all from empirically backed research.
He coined the phrase BHAG - Big Hairy Audacious Goal. Which is simply a business vision for the longterm future. Having highlighted many other concepts such as the flywheel, the hedgehog, level 5 leadership etc, it can be overwhelming. Across the many insights he’s shared - when pushed and asked if there was just one thing a business leader needs to do well, he says clearly - the BHAG.
Why?
- its a unifying objective
- it gives us something very clear to work towards
- its grand, exciting and hard!
So, do you have a clear and compelling BHAG for your business? Are you playing to win in your market, or just going through the motions? Feel free to chime in and join the conversation on my latest LinkedIn post.
We're approaching that time of year when many start to look to next calendar year, especially if its been a difficult year... If you'd like to discuss winning with your 2025 strategy, hit me up by replying to this email!
Cheers,
Josh
