Strategy in the crosshairs - Front Lines - Brief Article

Chief Executive, The, May, 2002

The U.S. Army's linear, hierarchical approach to strategy, operations, and tactics no longer meets the threats we face in today's volatile, fast-changing environment, says Jim Crupi. To spread his message, Crupi, a former Army Ranger, has been helping the Army rethink its approach by acting as a strategic advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army and by leading a training program for generals. His analysis and advice have been so successful that he is now the only strategic advisor with complete access to virtually every aspect of Army operations.

Crupi believes that if you engage in strategic planning, you will lose. The new conflict environment -- like the business environment -- is changing so fast and becoming so volatile that the traditional skills sets of managers no longer work. Changes in this new environment are event-driven, rather than strategically driven. You no longer have time to develop a strategy and then implement it. To meet the unexpected challenge, you must be ready with a range of responses that are faster, broader, and more flexible than your adversary's.

If you plan a detailed campaign against a known foe in a predictable location -- in the business world, imagine an obvious competitor in your own industry -- you may find yourself waging the wrong war.

This requires leaders to clearly communicate values and intent, not strategy and commands, as guides for important decisions at all levels of the organization. Success requires a new mode of thinking that is nonlinear, dynamic, and multidimensional. Crupi accomplishes this in weeklong training sessions in which leaders are given a problem and time to develop a strategy; then he deconstructs the strategy, revealing false assumptions, blind spots, and misplaced focus. At that point, the team begins constructing an alternative, multidimensional solution to the problem.

Since the program began in May 2001, the Army has continually expanded it -- first by doubling the original series of 10 weeklong sessions, then doubling it again -- until every general officer has been through Crupi's course. Now, Crupi is training the new War College class of incoming colonels (considered potential generals), senior non-commissioned officers, and the leaders of select battle units. The Army also has invited him to interview and study any unit, any rank, and any location, with total access.

Outside the military, a handful of companies have expressed interest in Crupi's methods and perspective, as well.