Beyond Filling in Boxes

5 min readJun 6, 2023

Put Tools and Techniques to Work for You

The business strategy landscape is awash in frameworks, tools, and techniques. Forrester or Boston Consulting Group (BCG) frameworks, business school tools, independent strategist methods, and even the tools and techniques of design thinking. It’s easy to drown in a sea of tools with no direction or priority on what might really be helpful.

It can also be easy to fall into the trap of believing a framework, tool, or technique will solve your problems or answer all of your questions. That if you’re clueless and disorganized when you begin, that somehow the use of the tool or framework will make things crystal clear in the end.

They won’t. A tool, technique (or framework or method, whatever your preferred term) is only helpful if it’s the right tool or technique at the right time AND if you are thoughtful and embrace the process of using it.

So how do you discover the “right tool at the right time”? It can be challenging to know what to use, and when. Especially because only a few of us really care about the tools. Only so many people geek out about the nuances of various methodologies and the tools and frameworks that accompany them.

It’s more likely that you have a problem or see an opportunity, and you want to solve or pursue it. When you start from that point of view, along with a trusted resource or expert, you shift the narrative from a sea of tools, frameworks, methodologies, and techniques to tools and techniques (frameworks and methods) as things that are in service of you.

They become tools in your toolbox that are in service of you and your needs. Just as your computer starts up every day and allows you to connect to the world and do your work. Just as your meetings serve to connect you with others to accomplish your work, tools, and techniques exist to help you.

They can:

Help you think things through (independently or together)
Help you reframe and communicate things
Help you analyze and discuss things, weigh risks and rewards
Help you gain insights and valuable understanding
Help you can make choices and determine actions

As you approach your next problem, see your next opportunity, or if you hit a wall and aren’t sure what’s next, seeking advice from an expert and support from your toolbox of tools and methods can help you move forward with new insights, new clarity and new understanding.

At Northome Group, we have tried to narrow down to our favorite, most impactful tools and techniques- which you’re free to have in our Tools and Techniques Library. A tool is just a tool, just boxes on paper unless you know when and how to use it. We want to help:

Other Items in the News:

Below are some highlights from an article by Roger Martin as he takes the Business Model Generation / Business Model Canvas model and compares it to his own Playing to Win model. It’s an interesting look at both of these frameworks, but it also highlights the need to utilize the tools for your own benefit. Use them to help answer your questions and to serve your needs.

As Roger says towards the end of his article, individuals and organizations need to “go beyond adhering to the letter of the law (i.e., filling in the boxes) to realizing its spirit (i.e., a set of choices that fit together and reinforce each other)”. They need to use it to their advantage– to GET something out of the tool, not just to do it.

Below are the highlights:

Strategist, Professor Emeritus, and former dean of the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, Roger Martin, is a trusted strategic adviser to CEOs worldwide and the author of eleven books. Recently, Roger has been exploring popular strategy books and frameworks, looking at how they relate to his Playing to Win (PTW) model. (full article here)

This week he highlights the work of Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, the authors of the book Business Model Generation and two of the three founders of the strategy firm Strategyzer.

Strategyzer and the book Business Model Generation are most famous for creating the Business Model Canvas tool. If you’re not familiar with the Business Model Canvas, it’s a template for developing new business models and documenting existing ones. It uses a visual chart format to describe a firm or product’s value proposition, infrastructure, customers, financial model, and differentiation strategy.

Roger’s Playing to Win framework revolves around five key questions:

What is our winning aspiration? This question prompts organizations to define their overarching goals and aspirations. It encourages leaders to think deeply about their purpose and what they aim to achieve in their industry or market.
Where will we play? This question urges organizations to make deliberate choices about the markets, customer segments, and geographic areas they will target. It involves evaluating opportunities and determining the most promising areas for growth and competitive advantage.
How will we win? This question focuses on developing a distinctive value proposition and competitive advantage. It requires organizations to identify the unique capabilities, resources, and strategies they will leverage to outperform competitors and deliver superior value to customers.
What capabilities must be in place? This question addresses the organizational capabilities and resources needed to execute the chosen strategy effectively. It involves assessing the skills, systems, processes, and culture required to support the strategy and drive its successful implementation.
What management systems are required? This question highlights the importance of aligning the organization’s structure, metrics, and incentives with the chosen strategy. It emphasizes the need for clear accountabilities, performance measurement, and feedback mechanisms to ensure the strategy is executed effectively.

Both Business Model Generation and Playing to Win are worthwhile frameworks; feel free to check them both out.

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