Charlie Curson is a globally experienced strategist, coach and facilitator who has helped thousands of leaders, teams and organisations think and act more strategically. Passionate about making strategic thinking accessible to everyone, Charlie shares the practical tools and insights he has refined over twenty-five years in the field.
Description
Foreword - Introduction - Part One: Level 1 Practices - Deepen Self-Awareness - 1 What Being Strategic Means And Why It Matters - 2 The Foundation Practices - Part Two: Level 2 Practices - Cultivate Open-Mindedness - 3 Be (More) Curious, Be A Learner - 4 Be (More) Present, Be A Listener - 5 Be (More) Rational, Be A Critical Thinker - Part Three: Level 3 Practices - Develop Strategic Capabilities - 6 Be (More) Imaginative, Be A Creative - 7 Be (More) Comfortable With Uncertainty - 8 Be (More) Future-Focused, Be A Visionary - Part Four: Level 4 Practices - Scale Your Impact - 9 Be (More) Decisive, Be A Doer - 10 Be (More) Inclusive, Be A Collaborator - 11 Be (More) Persuasive, Be An Influencer - Conclusion - Notes - Acknowledgements - The Author
'If you want to lose weight, there comes a day when you need to look in the mirror and admit you're carrying a little too much "around the middle." Strategy is no different. If you've reached the point where you recognise a lack of it in your own life or business, then Charlie, through this book, steps in as coach, advisor, mentor and guide. He doesn't just tell you what to do; he shows you how to listen, communicate and act with purpose.' - Andy Yeoman, Entrepreneur, Investor and reformed reluctant strategist 'If only Charlie's book had been written fifty years ago! Where was my strategy? Professionally and personally? Like most people in those days, I fear we just made it up as we went along. Charlie has taught thousands how to "do strategy." And crucially his advice isn't about theories and visions. It's practical and aimed at you and me, not just at "top people." Try Chapter Four on being a good listener, that rarity in public and private life. I recommend it. Yes, a book to change your life.' - David Davies OBE, Broadcaster, BBC Journalist, former Executive Director of The FA, Government Advisor on Sport and Media. '"I'm so busy". Ever feel or say that? But busy in service of what? Do you feel like you are eternally firefighting and chasing your tail? How can we get where we want to be, or even know where we want to be if we don't have time to take a breath? Good strategy has the power to help you define where you want to be and how to get there. But strategy is mysterious and the purview of only the top of organisations or brightest of us, right? This is what we are told. No longer. This book not only demystifies strategy, it codifies it into accessible, achievable, practical and simple steps. It's gives us examples and activities we can relate to and simply conduct. These will help us build a strategy that works, gets our heads out of the weeds, extinguishes the fires and sets us free to achieve our goals. An essential read for anyone wishing to elevate themselves from the eternal "too busy firefighter."' - LCDR Dickie Farrelly, Leadership Coach, Royal Australian Navy 'This book brilliantly breaks down the mythical mindset of being strategic into simple, practical, steps. It combines rigorous theory and inspiring stories with humorous insights and real-world advice, from 80/20 decision making to unlocking creativity by going for a walk. A must-read for anyone who's ever been told to be more strategic but has no idea where to start.' - John Sills, Author of The Human Experience; Managing Partner of The Foundation 'Be More Strategic is a gem. It makes strategy accessible and attainable for everyone. It is a practical guide that demystifies and neatly knits together the multiple facets of useful strategy. The anecdotes and references make it an enjoyable read too. Enjoy.' - James Alexander MBE, Co-founder and former Executive Director of Zopa; Strategy Director at Egg; Chair of Finance Earth, Agricarbon and Suffolk Wildlife Trust; Trustee of RSPB 'I'm not a prolific reader of theory and if I don't enjoy something, I put it down quickly. This book hooked me from the start. It's engaging, refreshingly personal and full of practical tools that made me highlight, scribble notes and jump back and forth through the pages like it was a workbook. The blend of stories from business, sport and science keeps it relatable, while the exercises and clear frameworks make strategy feel personal and achievable. It's the rare kind of book that makes you think deeply about yourself, your work and how you lead - all while keeping it simple, compelling and actionable.' - Tim White, former Chief Strategy Officer, Corporate Executive Officer and EVP at Fujitsu 'I wish I had read this book when I was in a number of senior, transformational roles - it would have made me more cognizant of what strategy deployment actually is, made me aware of my strengths, ability to influence and avoided a number of painful lessons!! 'I found the book very insightful and it gave great examples and insights of how you deploy a strategic plan in a pragmatic way and successful manner, underpinned by a cohesive high performance team.' - Geoff Cousins, former CFO North America and MD Jaguar UK at JLR, Chairman of G&P Quality Management, Chairman of Cure Leukaemia 'If you want to be more strategic, from whatever level you believe you are at now, this book is an excellent place to start. The twelve practices are presented in a well-researched and accessible way and will equip you with a practical framework to build your skills and capabilities. The book presents a unique combination of theory, real-world case studies and individual exercises to bring to life how we can all improve our approach to strategic thinking, both in the business world and in our personal lives.' - Steve Brandon, former Partner and Board Member at Deloitte UK LLP, Non-Executive Director and Board Advisor, angel investor 'Meet Charlie, who I'm now calling my new strategic guru. He's spent decades watching people squirm in boardrooms when their boss says "be more strategic" - because, let's face it, half the time the boss like me, doesn't know what that means either! Charlie, in this book, helps us crack the code on why we all nod knowingly at strategy presentations while secretly feeling completely lost, and it turns out the culprit is our collective confusion between strategy (the scary stuff about making hard choices and dealing with complexity) and planning (the comforting world of to-do lists and organised meetings). Through his twelve practical techniques (that even a knackered old rugby player like me can understand), this book transforms strategy from an elite corporate mystery into something you can actually use - whether you're navigating office politics or figuring out your life direction. The best part? The author proves that strategic thinking isn't just for offices and CEOs through sharing stories of clients who've applied these same principles to buy castles, strengthen relationships and generally stop stumbling through life hoping things work out. It's like having a wise mentor who f inally explains why you're beautifully organised plans sometimes lead nowhere, and shows you how to think bigger, choose smarter and actually build the life you want instead of just planning for it. I will absolutely be recommending this book to my clients.' - Lewis Moody MBE, 2003 Rugby World Cup Winner, Performance Coach, Haddon Coaching 'Quite simply one of the best business books I've ever read. Should be on the desk of every CEO. Charlie Curson has managed to write a Rolls Royce of a business book. Each chapter is perfectly engineered, easy to follow and clearly comes from years of practice and research. But what I really loved is it's not just a strategy for business but for LIFE. I will be getting my kids copies and telling them, "You want a guide for life - it's all there!" It's also such an easy read, each chapter a step-by-step guide to putting together the ultimate killer strategy - but at the same time packed with insights, wisdom and practical "how to's." I suspect in a few years' time it might end up being one of those, "Read these three books young un' and you'll be sorted for life."' - Jack Milner, Comedian, Playwright and Improvisation Specialist 'Businesses and leadership need this book. Why? Knowing Charlie personally, the read was like hearing his voice; a friendly talk - authentic, true, conversation-like. 'Providing wisdom and experience while staying informal, all supported by facts, cases, research, reflective questions, takeaways and actions makes it unputdownable, simply a page-turner. 'You want to "Be Strategic?" This is a map - the invitation for a trip with four stops and twelve road signs, and includes a backpack of author's wisdom, experience, tools and his nexialist partnership towards a progressive trip to seeing wide and true. 'It's a journey from self-awareness, through social skills and mindsets, courage and acceptance, striving to scale your impact. 'The big picture book, with a big picture map and deep-dive moments on each important road sign.' - Piotr Jankowski, Founder CoachMentor. Team, Executive Coach PCC ICF, Leadership Mentor and Strategic Consultant, Ex Managing Director and Board Member Fujitsu Poland