To thwart possible disruption, pundits give legacy companies such advice as “disrupt yourself before you get disrupted” or “put frontline employees in charge of strategy and execution.” This counsel is of little help. Military history offers a much better way to respond. We call it tempo-based competition.
Avoiding Disruption Requires Rapid Decision Making
Scan, orient, decide, and act.
April 23, 2019
Summary.
To thwart possible disruption, pundits give legacy companies such advice as “disrupt yourself before you get disrupted” or “put frontline employees in charge of strategy and execution.” This counsel is of little help. Military history offers a much better way to respond. It’s called tempo-based competition. Disruptors put the squeeze on competitors by continually scanning the landscape, orienting themselves to new circumstances, deciding how to respond, and acting quickly. Then they regroup and repeat the process. With experience and expertise, their “SODA loop” tightens and the tempo accelerates. Legacy companies can and should strive to play the same game.
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New!
HBR Learning
Strategy Planning and Execution Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Strategy Planning and Execution. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to develop a winning strategy—and put it to work.