There are many models and tools of strategy and strategy development but the first principles are our starting point. Principles in strategic thinking are like a compass, while strategy tools are like maps. The maps (tools) provide specific directions, but the compass (principles) ensures you’re always headed in the right direction, even when paths change.
IS YOUR STRATEGY FUELING YOUR GROWTH
Client-centricity, long-term sustainable growth and agility are some of the principles we value.
The Strategic Navigator
BIG Qustions
STRATEGIC QUESTIONS
Big questions are important because they challenge assumptions, drive deep thinking, and lead to transformative insights. In strategic planning, they help organizations break out of routine thinking and explore possibilities that might otherwise be overlooked.
Who are we?
What are our identity, purpose and values
How are we stacking up
How to measure in terms of the vital strategic measurements
How is the world moving around us
What are the trends in the markets we operate, the emerging, current, and disappearing ones
What is our licence to play and win?
What are our key competencies and competitive advantages in our selected market segments?
How do we execute and scale?
Do we have the culture to execute
CASE STUDIES
Diversified Financial Service Organisation
Botswana
A leading financial services group in Botswana undertook a comprehensive strategy development and alignment process across its business divisions, including the Group Head Office. This involved clarifying roles, differentiating strategic and operational functions, and implementing competitive market strategies for Life Insurance, Asset Management, and Short-Term Insurance. A merger viability study with a major bank was conducted to explore creating a seamless financial services offering. Additionally, a cultural transformation initiative in the Life Insurance division utilized a “habit cultivation process” to drive change and align with strategic goals. These efforts enhanced operational clarity, market competitiveness, and organizational alignment.
We utilised the Balanced Scorecard and our Culture Helix principles to align the metrics and the culture with the Group and Divisional strategies.
Cooperative
South Africa
A diversified agricultural company operating across the full value chain aimed to enhance strategic alignment, focus, and capability within its Executive team. To achieve this, a multifaceted approach to strategy formulation was implemented. This approach facilitated the development of a shared stretch ambition, identified core competencies, and explored potential growth opportunities. As a result, it fostered a unified vision among executives and clarified the company’s long-term strategic direction.
To ensure effective execution, the strategy was translated into an operational plan for each division. This alignment ensured that every part of the business supported the broader corporate goals. Additionally, future talent was identified and involved in refining the strategy, which promoted leadership development and ensured continuity in execution. Consequently, the company achieved greater strategic focus, improved decision-making at the executive level, and positioned itself for sustainable growth by leveraging its core competencies and newly identified opportunities.
The Nexus Strategy and Future Leadership Lab principles were used in the process, and an aligned scorecard was also created to measure the strategic growth.
NGO
South Africa
Assisted the NGO’s leadership in redefining its vision, purpose, and strategy to address challenges such as failing social infrastructure, donor field shifts, and a changing paradigm. Developed a balanced scorecard to track strategic drivers, ensuring clarity, accountability, and improved stakeholder alignment.
The scorecard developed included drivers such as the leadership and culture of the organisation, which was also assessed to form a baseline, but also included lag measures such as the financial funding received and the most important societal impact because of the context of this NGO
Development Bank
Cote d'Ivoire
Two specialised departments of the Development Bank were merged to form a new unit to strengthen the thought leadership and technical competence of the newly created centre of excellence. Leadership changes were also part of the redesign. The ask was to assist the new unit in developing a strategic plan for the unit and to align the team around this strategy.
Over 2 years, stretching over the disruptive Covid period, a Purpose, vision and mission were developed, and a new business model was landed. The team coherence and trust were improved through a team effectiveness process, and leadership coaching assisted the newly appointed leaders to step up to the important task of guidingng this highly specialised team to contribute maximally to the wider organisation.
PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE NEXUS STRATEGIC NAVIGATOR
Client-centric
OUTSIDE-IN
Living systems survive and thrive by staying structurally connected to their environments, adapting even in the face of rapid and unexpected changes. The same principle applies to organizations of all types and sizes. The more effectively an organization integrates the voice of its clients or market into its strategy, the better it can evolve in response to shifting demands and emerging trends. This alignment enables the organization to remain relevant and competitive, continuously delivering value to its chosen clients, customers, or target market.
Client centricity
Client centricity
FUTURE AND PAST
Although strategy focuses on shaping the future, it is equally important to understand an organization’s past and present. An approach rooted in an evolving narrative—rather than a static snapshot or an idealized vision is more potent. A multidimensional perspective is essential to developing an effective strategy. This means considering not just the organization’s current performance but also the broader context in which it operates and the underlying factors that influence its trajectory. Industry trends, internal culture, and hidden systemic forces all play a role in shaping both the present reality and the desired future. By integrating past lessons, present realities, and future aspirations, organizations can create strategies that are both visionary and grounded in reality.
Shared meaning
CONTENT AND PROCESS
“A strategy is truly shared when all stakeholders actively contribute to its development. Co-authorship fosters a shared purpose, strengthens legitimacy, and ensures full commitment. When people help shape a strategy, they are more likely to embrace it with motivation and take meaningful action.”
Co-authorship
Co-authorship