During our interviews with C-suite leaders for a short series of white papers on strategy we’re preparing, we’ve learned about what successful leaders do and some important principles have been confirmed.  One of those principles is that it’s not enough to have a unique position in your market.  You also need to put together an impossible or hard to duplicate constellation of organizational strengths that enable you to build value over time.

While these strengths go by many names, we call them “core capabilities”.  These are the most critical organizational strengths to develop because they fuel your competitive advantage (signature strength), enable you to deliver the difference you make for your customers (mission/purpose), and help you make progress toward your future (vision).

Download our checklist of questions to use as a discussion starter with your team about your core capabilities.  And if you’re interested in how we can help you prepare better for this year’s strategic planning, click here for a description of our workshop, Are You Ready? Getting Aligned Before Your Strategic Planning.