how to patent an invention

how to patent an invention
Rather than view strategy as a selection of possibilities, here is another approach: creation or invention.

Strategic planning is not strategy

Strategic Planning, often synonymous with the annual cycles of planning, details of how you want to be successful if you have decided to go. It is a description of how you achieve your goals - the milestones in structuring your business plan. Strategic planning is operational in nature, explores the specific actions that you take in the coming period. Strategic planning is of crucial importance can be - and once you have a strategy, it is often a good idea to develop a strategic plan.

But strategic planning is not strategy. Strategy is the "what" you and your organization will be, and the broad approach, as you have to do that. For example, your company will be the number one provider of hosted Internet applications, medical records, by the free distribution to HMOs and hospitals, paid with a back-end per-patient licensing fees. Strategic planning deals with the details of how to get there - associations that you joint venture with how many people you will be in sales this year, what type of advertising is used, regardless of whether the payment for the page views or click on cables, etc. The strategic plan will itemize the specific actions you are in a given period, and the results of these measures will.

But imagine filling your new car with gas, turning the ignition key that the car is in motion, always on the highway, and that the pedal-to-the-metal. Full speed ahead. Imagine, for a moment. Wait a minute - where are you going? Many organizations jump headlong into the strategic planning, without being clear about where they go. Ensure that they have a direction - north, perhaps in the Internet applications space, maybe. If the plan that your company will surely wind up somewhere. But is it if you wanted to? Strategy defines the goal, and whether you are a picturesque way, a quick way, and if you want to rest. Strategic planning identifies the specific motorways and the special roads.

Did you bother to think about where you want to go recently? Most entrepreneurs, most companies, with an idea of what they are trying to create. But that was long ago. Perhaps it is time to consider this question again.

Strategy is not a series of options

Imagine that in your car again. This time, it's Sunday, and you and your family for a drive. Where are you already registered? "" We'll see, "", you say to yourself, "How much gas we have, and the streets are the least traffic? "" Many companies think about the evaluation of the strategy is a series of options, often in the form of funds available, or a competitive response. They say things like - "" We have only 12 for the development of resources available, which means we can program two important function on the market, and XYZ Co. has just announced the compatibility with our databases. What will we do? ""

Strategy is not incrementalism or inertial

Or whether they are in relation to charges. They increased in the past year gains of 20%, it means this year you should shoot for increasing profits by 20%. Or 25%? Or, as you can with three new modules in the last year, and reduced customer response time by 33%, you should plan to do the same, or slightly better this year?

These objectives are worthy, and this approach is. But this kind of achievement of the objectives are not fundamentally change your relationship to the market. Nothing will really be changed - not you, your employees do not, not your company - and not the world.

It has been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. If you use the same things, only better, only harder, only more intelligent just what you get is more of what you already have. That's fine, as long as you've noticed that more of what you have is appropriate for this phase of the lifecycle of the company.

Strategy is an invention

Strategy is something that you do. Your strategy is a statement of what you will do what a company to realize your vision: What will you actually achieve what is important in your business, and how will you create value and profits. Think about your past results. Just do not allow your strategy by it. Do not ignore the marketplace. Just do not fall into the trap of letting your competitors' actions define what you will be. And certainly do not ignore your customers - so do not think that your customers' wants and desires are the only measure of what you should order. These references - results of the past, markets, competitors, customers - must be taken into account.

And then, what it means is this: Your strategy is the direction your company is, as you said. An invented strategy inspires you

An invented strategy inspires you. Because it fulfills your vision for your company, and as you can see how to implement your strategy makes an important difference in the world, it inspires your team, your customers, your prospects. An invented strategy stimulates all your ingredients, where incrementalism seems only more work. An invented strategy propulsion system to the size of your company. An invented strategy can consist of services beyond what is currently possible. Breakthroughs and blockbusters are not on incremental improvements. Like Athena, they spring from the minds of their inventors. Invented strategies can companies and their relationship to the market and in the world.

Inventing Strategy

The path to the creation of strategy is simple - to ask the right questions.

In what direction can the company * now * to realize your vision? What value proposition will offer you the customer? What meaningful difference is in your market? What meaningful difference in your world? How do you improve the lives of people, your customers, your customers? Your family? Answers to these questions, and you're on the road to invent your strategy.

Are you building something totally new, or do you improve an existing idea? What are the dimensions of the impact you want? Will it be faster? Better? Cheaper? Simple? Safe? More luxury? Convenient? More portable? More entertaining? More Universal?

Next, from a high-level perspective, how will you marshal your resources and time your maneuvers to offer that value and make that difference? For example, Microsoft's desktop applications strategy is to companies from other product categories, waiting to see what loot, then Microsoft has a lower cost alternative, and the market tail out of it. This strategy defines a what, not how. It can not describe what products, how to develop, or if they will be rolled.

There are no rules in the strategy

Strategy is not evolution, it is revolutionary. Do not assume the old rules apply or let them guide your thinking. Breaking rules actually be designed to the strategy. Ask yourself, "What rules can we break? "" Consider the outdated beliefs affect growth in your company or in your market. Make your own assumptions. Try it - first in the head. Einstein conceived the theory of relativity with what he thought experiment - an experiment in people's minds.

Do not worry about the implementation yet ...

While you pull strategy, do not worry about whether you the wherewithal to implement what you think about it. If you are worried in this way, you will probably compromise from the beginning. There is much room for compromise later, if you must. Ignore the resource that could be the dog you throughout the year. It will deal with this when the time comes. Author Gary Hamil suggests that a definition of the strategy include the ""... Striving to overcome resources through a creative and endless quest for a better resource leverage. "

I have changed my strategy. And what now?

Okay. At some point soon, you need to consider implementation. Do you have a strategy you believe will make a difference and lead to more yield, you have to figure out how it happened, because all the constraints you. This is where the strategic and tactical planning is in. This is the next article.

Paul Lemberg is the President of Quantum Growth Coaching, the world's only fully systematic business coaching program guaranteed for the entrepreneur, soon more and more profit Life ™. If your copy of our special report with detailed steps on how to grow your company at least 40% faster, even if you are not sure what to do next, go to Paul's business coaching website.