Rethinking Strategy with Bode Miller

Bode Miller beat me. Yes, I actually raced against him at Cannon Mountain last weekend, and he was faster than me (as were about sixty 10-12 year-olds…) I must say that I thought I went pretty fast until I saw him go by in a blur. Besides being the best ski racer ever to hail from these shores, he is also known for his unique approach to things. Many think of him as a contrarian, but I see it in simpler terms. His success is the result of two basic principles which he uses to guide his efforts.

First, he is not tied to the ways of the past. He did not hone his craft from listening to coaches and the like; he skied how he felt he should, exploring along the way. Second, he is absolutely clear on his bottom line – to ski as fast as humanly possible. By combining these two tenets he has amassed a chest full of medals and reached the pinnacle of his sport.

Though sport analogies are everywhere, I think we can learn from Bode’s approach here and develop some robust strategies. Looking at the first concept, the challenge is to think in new ways, but this is difficult. If you are raising money, nothing will raise eyebrows faster than mentioning a “new business model.” People funding companies are somewhat conservative and want companies and people to follow well worn paths. If you are in a larger organization it is even more challenging. The common approaches have worked in the past and are strongly held on to. The result is little change and stifled innovation.

To break this gridlock on creativity, the bottom line must be the starting point. The first step is to identify the real bottom line which is often not net income or EBITDA. These are, of course, very important metrics, but they are hard to use as barometers when people are deciding what to do in a certain circumstance. What is it you are really trying to accomplish – improve health, identify new markers of disease, or clean the air?

After you have made the bottom line as clear as a bell, then you can unleash your creative juices to determine how to get there. Rather than pull out the “five forces” and “blue ocean” tools, let the creativity take over and craft a new pathway to your goal. Granted some structure is required, but it doesn’t need to have a name. There are lots of techniques and names for making ski turns, but Bode doesn’t necessarily use them.

With the pathway and goals laid out, it is imperative that people are lined up with them. In fact, if they helped define the path – even better. It requires more than mission statements to be sure people understand the goals and how they fit into making this happen. After all, making the plan become reality is often the hardest part.

So simplify the whole process of growing your business and don’t make it an onerous procedure. Think in new ways and have a laser focus on the goals. As Bode has shown us, this simple approach can bring home the gold.