Have We Hit Peak Strategy?

Peak Strategy

The concept of 'peak strategy' in service firms is scrutinized by Blair Enns and David Baker. Blair expresses frustration over the inflated costs of basic services, attributing it to the overemphasis on strategic positioning by design firms 1. He argues that many firms have adopted the term 'strategy' to justify higher prices, even for simple tasks 1. David humorously notes his own aversion to the term, preferring 'research and insights' instead 1.

Have we hit peak strategy? So I'm begging the question here. So, the impetus for this topic is, I just feel like everything is so expensive.

--- Blair Enns

Blair further explains that strategy in the design world often involves understanding the broader context of a client's needs, rather than just executing tasks 2.

   

Strategic Alternatives

Exploring alternatives to traditional strategy, Blair and David discuss how firms can differentiate themselves without relying solely on strategic positioning. Blair highlights the shift from simply executing client requests to challenging assumptions and providing genuine value 3. He notes that many firms have begun listing strategy as a separate line item in proposals, which clients often dismiss as unnecessary 3.

The first thing that many firms started to do is they started to put strategy as a line item on their proposals.

--- Blair Enns

David adds that the trend towards being 'strategic' is often just a cover for poor positioning, with firms now moving towards data-driven and AI-driven approaches 4.