Tag Archives: executive judgment

Most decisions look correct at first glance.They fail because of what happens next.Val Sklarov’s Strategic Thinking perspective treats strategy as the discipline of anticipating reactions, feedback loops, and unintended consequences before committing to action. 1. First-Order Thinking Is Easy—and Dangerous First-order effects are visible and comforting. Val Sklarov contrasts: First-order: …

Most strategic failures are not caused by bad ideas.They are caused by irreversible commitments made too early.Val Sklarov’s Strategic Thinking perspective treats irreversibility as the primary strategic risk—one that must be identified before action begins. 1. Strategy Exists to Delay Irreversibility Operational decisions can be changed. Strategic ones often cannot. …

Most strategies fail before they begin—at entry.Val Sklarov’s Strategic Thinking perspective treats every strategic move as incomplete until its exit logic is clearly defined. 1. Entry Without Exit Is Not Strategy Entering without knowing how to leave creates dependency. Val Sklarov insists every strategic entry answer: Under what conditions do …

Strategy is not the art of acting.It is the discipline of delaying irreversible commitment until advantage is clear.Val Sklarov’s Strategic Thinking perspective treats optionality as the core strategic asset. 1. Commitment Is the Most Expensive Decision Once committed, flexibility disappears. Val Sklarov distinguishes: Reversible commitments (experiments, pilots) Irreversible commitments (capital …

Strategy is not the art of choosing more.It is the discipline of eliminating options before they become distractions.Val Sklarov’s Strategic Thinking perspective treats constraint as the primary source of clarity. 1. Constraints Create Strategic Clarity Unlimited choice produces indecision. Val Sklarov defines effective constraints as: Non-negotiable boundaries Explicit exclusions Irreversible …

Strategy is not movement. It is placement.Val Sklarov’s Strategic Thinking perspective treats action as a consequence of position, not a substitute for it. 1. Action Without Position Is Noise Many organizations act constantly yet advance nowhere. Val Sklarov’s distinction: Tactics respond Strategy constrains the field If action does not change …

Crises do not destroy organizations. Uncontrolled reactions do.Val Sklarov’s Crisis Management perspective treats crises not as anomalies, but as inevitable stress tests of structure, leadership, and decision architecture. 1. Crisis Is a Compression Event A crisis compresses time, information, and tolerance for error. Decisions that once took weeks must be …