Companies often rely on buzzwords like "innovative," "game-changing," or "cutting-edge" to define their unique value proposition (UVP). While these terms may sound sexy, they lack substance. They fail to connect with customers on a meaningful level. A strong UVP, however, should be grounded in genuine customer insights and focus on solving problems that competitors overlook.

A new CEO enters the picture and has a laundry list of things to change. Or a new department head who wants to make a good impression and starts overhauling things. Sometimes things do need to change. But you can break more things than you fix with this approach.

As leaders, it's not enough to take the orders from on high and simply regurgitate them to our teams. We need to add value. We need to add insights and details. We need to help them understand how that initiative impacts them and how they can engage. 

Positive psychological momentum is a cognitive force that changes human behavior and performance. It enables people to achieve at a level not ordinarily possible. You see, when people experience success, it propels them to amplify their efforts. This positive momentum builds a greater likelihood of success in future endeavors.

Because strategy is about charting a particularly distinct path to success, thinking counterintuitively in an environment of complexity, and leveraging your advantages with ways to amplify those advantages, it’s hard to put that into a structured formula.

Today's consumers are bombarded with choices. Brand differentiation is no longer optional—it’s a survival strategy. But the question is how. Instead of focusing on product promotions, enable your customers to experience your brand.

Ever notice how some conversations leave you with more questions than answers? That’s often the result of a reply instead of a response. While the two may sound similar, the difference is critical, especially in problem-solving, leadership, or collaborative work.

It's so frustrating when you've got a problem you need to solve, and nothing's coming to you. No ideas that will help move things forward. Maybe you talk with others to try and gather perspectives. Or you dive into the Google rabbit hole to look at how others have solved the problem. But there's nothing. You want something new, something innovative. Not just the same old approach everyone else uses. But you've run dry. How can you get that spark of inspiration you need?

Here’s a line in a corporate strategy document from a multi-billion-dollar client I was working with a few years ago:

"We need to focus on better understanding the evolving needs of our current and future customers, and tailor solutions to meet those needs."

What the hell? Isn’t that what the company should do as just a basic, daily, operating principle? That’s not a strategy, it’s a proclamation.

Think back to when you were under the gun to come up with a ground-breaking idea or solution to a complex problem. How many of those instances produced something revolutionary? Likely very few.

However, too many companies expect employees to spend more time looking productive than being productive. So, with limited time, those appointed to develop a strategy often spend more time on business theater than on contemplating creative approaches to compete.