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Strategic thinking rarely occurs spontaneously.

Michael Porter

I teach in the medical school, the School of Public Health, the Kennedy School of Government, and the Business School. And it’s the best perch… because most of my work crosses boundaries.
MICHAEL PORTER

Boundary Government Medicine Teaching
A target should go with every goal. A target is the value that defines success.
MICHAEL PORTER

Definition Goal Success Target Value
If your goal is anything but profitability – if it’s to be big, or to grow fast, or to become a technology leader – you’ll hit problems.
MICHAEL PORTER

Big Goal Leadership Problem Profit Yourself
Competitive strategy is about being different. It means deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value.
MICHAEL PORTER

Activity Choice Competition Deliver Different Unique
Strategy is about setting yourself apart from the competition. It’s not a matter of being better at what you do – it’s a matter of being different at what you do.
MICHAEL PORTER

Better Competition Different Started Yourself
Sound strategy starts with having the right goal
MICHAEL PORTER

Goal Right Sound Start
In the vast majority of businesses, there is simply no such thing as “the best.”
MICHAEL PORTER

Best Business Majority Simplicity
The essence of strategy is that you must set limits on what you’re trying to accomplish.
MICHAEL PORTER

Accomplishment Limitation Strategy Yourself
Strategy is choice. Strategy means saying no to certain kinds of things.
MICHAEL PORTER

Choice Decline Kind Strategy
Strategic thinking rarely occurs spontaneously.
MICHAEL PORTER

Occur Rare Strategy
The underlying principles of strategy are enduring, regardless of technology or the pace of change.
MICHAEL PORTER

Change Endurance Pace Principle Technology
Finally, strategy must have continuity. It can’t be constantly reinvented.
MICHAEL PORTER

Constant Invention Strategy
Health care historically has been a very siloed field that’s organized around medical specialties – urology, cardiac surgery, and so forth – and around the supply of these specialty services. The patient is the ping-pong ball that moves from service to service.
MICHAEL PORTER

Health History Medicine Organization Patient Service
Billions are wasted on ineffective philanthropy. Philanthropy is decades behind business in applying rigorous thinking to the use of money.
MICHAEL PORTER

Business Money Philanthropy Thinking Time Wasted Time
If all you’re trying to do is essentially the same thing as your rivals, then it’s unlikely that you’ll be very successful.
MICHAEL PORTER

Rival Success Try Yourself
Strategy is about making choices, trade-offs; it’s about deliberately choosing to be different.
MICHAEL PORTER

Choice Different Strategy Yourself

Strategic thinking rarely occurs spontaneously.

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Strategic thinking rarely occurs spontaneously.

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