We have just added an exploding Swedish rock band, Crash Diet, to our illustrious line of clients (check out their Western Hemisphere tour). But a crash diet is not what the Swedish government should be implementing for in their future economy. Their economy has taken off between the years 1993 and 2006. But their success has storm clouds on the horizon: Their population is aging, their education system is declining, and competition is threatening from developing economies. Sweden must address these and a couple of other issues in order to set strategies.
If you are successful in your business or artistic career, you should take note of their concern. You cannot sit back and enjoy the spoils of your efforts without losing ground. A company should break down its components, e.g., marketing(social networking), production, service, etc. and develop strategies. The total these should be combined in an overall strategic plan.
Where do you start? Simple, start twenty years from now with a vision of what you are trying to accomplish. This vision should be broad and industry-changing, not a vision to “be a billionaire.”
To get to this vision you could start with an issue, its assumptions and company values. You must be honest with yourself and set out your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Cap the whole process off with laying out metrics (milestones) of where you want to be along your twenty year journey. Then, adjust your tactics along the way.
If you wait, you may find your business falling behind in industry share. A Crash Diet may be great for Rock, but if your business finds itself between a rock and a hard place, you may have to reluctantly put it on a crash diet.