How do you navigate all of the challenges that come with running a business and transform them into actionable insights that drive continued success? In this episode, Rich sits down with Alex Atzberger, CEO at Optimizely, a digital experience platform that helps more than 10,000 businesses orchestrate their entire content lifecycle, monetize digital experiences and experiment across all customer touchpoints. He and Rich discuss the principles for successful M&A strategies, the qualities of high-performing leaders, and simplifying big ideas.

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“It's important on your notepad or whatever you use to keep notes not to try to write down 50 different things, but really focus on the three big ideas. You need to be able to write them on crayons on a piece of paper…And that can really transform companies because most good businesses and so on were not built on, like, long, complex books or something. They were based on simple, sharp ideas. And that's really, for me, insight that moves companies.”

“All these statistics about companies’ M&A being so poor and companies failing on this and that, it just is, in my point of view, where people might have just outsourced some of the thinking to other people rather than really owning it. “

“If you go into the building, and you see a snake in the hallway, what do you do? Now, there's two possible reactions. One reaction is that you see the snake, and you run into a conference room, and you get ten people on a call, and you say, like, hey, I need to talk to you about the snake that's in the hallway, what should I do? That's one option. The other option is you just kill the snake when you see it.”

Practice Makes Profit segment: How to use the 3A Strategic Thinking Framework to think, plan, and act strategically every day.

The League of Strategic Minds segment [listener question]: How should a business describe its purpose?

Winsight: Idea for Advantage segment: A. G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble said, “There simply is no one perfect strategy that will last for all time. There are multiple ways to win in almost any industry. That's why building up strategic thinking capability within your company is so vital.” What are you and your team doing to develop your strategic thinking capability so that you can continue to evolve your business model for long term success?

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(00:41) Deep Dive Interview with Alex Atzberger

(44:43) Practice Makes Profit: Applying the Three A Strategic Framework

(45:55) League of Strategic Minds: How should a business describe its purpose?

(47:48) Winsights, Ideas for Advantage: A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, said, “There simply is no one perfect strategy that will last for all time.There are multiple ways to win in almost any industry. That's why building up strategic thinking capability within your company is so vital.” What are you and your team doing to develop your strategic thinking capability so that you can continue to evolve your business model? For long-term success.

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Links:

Submit a question for Rich to the League of Strategic Minds

Alex Atzberger on LinkedIn

Optimizely

The Wonderbon Chocolate Company

Rich Horwath on LinkedIn

Rich Horwath on YouTube

Rich Horwath on Instagram

Strategic Thinking Institute Website

Inc. Magazine’s Top 4 book for 2024: STRATEGIC Book

New executive development platform: Strategic Fitness System
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