Friends,
I hope that all is well with you and yours.
I am going to cut straight to the proverbial chase. This newsletter was supposed to steer us back onto our current thematic course with an introduction to the work of Philip Tetlock and his superforecasting theory. For premium subscribers, there would also have been a summary of what the major investment banks expect from markets in 2023, which by extension could have significant implications for strategic decision-making particularly in Q1.
Both, though, will be postponed it until next week – for this, ladies and gentlemen, is Strategy in Praxis number 100!
And so, instead, I would like to break open a bottle of bubbly and talk about how we got here. I hope that you will indulge me, or at least forgive my indulgence. Should you not, feel free to skip to the last section which will cover where we are about to go next.
A long time coming
As long as I can remember, I have had a love affair with the written word. Reading opened up a new world; I would spend breaks between classes in the library, devouring comics and novels either by myself or with friends. For my twelfth birthday, I received a book on how to become a journalist from my aunt. I never did, of course, but I did write my first professional (there was remuneration, but I use the term loosely) article a mere two years later.
In the time that followed the early-teen first step, I wrote several more, won national essay competitions, and eventually went to study a field that I suspected would feature language by the truckload: law.
Alas, lawyers, as you might expect, are rarely encouraged to be creative; there was little opportunity to compose beyond the formulaic. By a stroke of luck, however, moving into M&A introduced me to corporate governance and, as inevitably as shortly thereafter, strategic management. Not only did strategy turn out to suit my particular set of skills very well, but I also found the new direction utterly enthralling. Thus, I decided to become a strategist.
But a pen is a difficult thing to put down. It was not long before I began writing for industry outlets as a loudmouth malcontent of sorts, initially serving my editors in the capacity of a poor man’s Mark Ritson. For various reasons, it is a role often played by columnists, though stupidly; none matches up favorably to the original. The key, I believe, is to as quickly as possible drop the act and instead find one’s own voice. After all, attempting to be someone else is a pointless endeavor. They already exist.
While I eventually earned the trust and privilege to write close to however I liked about close to whatever I liked (I owe Russell Parsons at MarketingWeek a significant debt of gratitude), I still could not cover everything. Some of the topics that I find important to discuss – e.g., the most complex aspects of firms and strategic management thereof – do simply not suit the column format particularly well.
Enter Strategy in Praxis.
In the now two years since its inception, I have attempted to pen newsletters that deal with both the abstract and the pragmatic; the basic and the advanced; the theory and the practice; the traditional and the cutting edge. Hopefully at least some of it has passed the “acceptable” mark.
A start not with why, but you
Before we get into how we might improve upon the ratio, however, I want to take a moment to thank you for reading this newsletter. And I really mean that.
For one, you make Strategy in Praxis what it is; there is no way in hell it would have made it to 100 had you not been a part of the overall picture. When this project launched, I had no idea what it might amount to. Today, thousands of people read my incoherent ramblings every week. And by liking, commenting, sharing, recommending, and subscribing, you ensure that it grows.
Then, of course, there is the often overwhelming feedback. I make no bones about it, your kind words have given me the strength to keep going when times have been rough. Being the primary caregiver – my wife recently got a new job – until our daughter starts kindergarten translates to full attention between 7am and 7pm, after which the workday finally begins. Finding the time to write amidst everything else that one has to deal with as an independent consultant without a fixed salary (while also renovating a house, hurrah) has been challenging. I often end up writing deep into the dark hours of the morning.
There are many who have it much, much worse. Obviously. My point is not one of sympathy seeking, but genuine appreciation for you. I hope it also comes across as such.
Last but not least, there are those of you who have decided to become premium subscribers. For this, I cannot thank you enough. Paid subscriptions make a genuine difference; the income I make from it goes straight to my daughter. It also allows me to work around her schedule instead of someone else’s, and no words can convey how much that means to me.
I will cherish it for the rest of my life.
Onwards and upwards
Now, then. The level up.
As far as I am concerned, the fact that you put time and money into Strategy in Praxis means that I have a responsibility to provide a substantial return on your investment. I take this very seriously. Consequently, there will be both quality of life and quality of content improvements coming soon.
The layout will be different.
There will be new features.
The cadence will change.
Premium-only content will become highly prioritized, both in terms of quality and quantity.
Additional content will become available.
Accessibility will be enhanced.
Further, the overarching theme, once we have moved past forecasting, will be ABCDE; we inch ever closer to the release of the new book. Steve McCrone, my brilliant co-author, has shown patience worthy of a saint, and it is high time for me to show that his trust has not been misplaced.
Beyond that, I have no idea what the new year will bring, but if you keep reading, and Strategy in Praxis keeps growing, I know that it will be something good.
Thank you again, and again, and again, from the very bottom of my heart for enabling me to reach 100 newsletters. Here is to many more.
Until next time, have the loveliest of weekends.
Onwards and upwards,
JP
Congrats, JP. Thank you for everything you've shared with us via Strategy in Praxis.
Nice one @JP - 100 is a big achievement. Always look forward to reading them!