Christopher Global

Trends are for today, strategy is for tomorrow," is a conversation I have with my clients. In other words, you can certainly make some quick money by following today's trends, but it's the investments of tomorrow that keep you in business. It is at this point that strategic alignment comes into play. The point isn't to predict the future, but to recognize and prepare for it.

Many companies believe they have a good handle on this. The majority of companies, however, only consider their IT systems. There is no doubt that infrastructure is the technological component of the future, but what about people, process, and business? How have you strategically allocated your portfolios to meet their future sustainability demands? Is your business continuity plan limited to IT? Does continuous improvement receive the same priority as new product development? For the most part, businesses would say they prioritize their customers over the mirror of their business when it comes to strategic decisions, and they know the importance of customer loyalty.

Strategy, however, is most effective when used as a mirror to show the business's needs. As a company, your portfolio, goals, objectives, programs, and products represent your ability to survive in the future. What is your pulse on this?