Strategy is a pattern in a series of decisions

There are two kinds of courses in an MBA: the technical ones, in which you learn a specific set of knowledge (concepts, frameworks, techniques, formulas) and the non-technical ones, where you reflect on a certain topic or business problem, but you are not necessarily given a ready-made answer.

I think the first type of courses are a waste of money (go to the library, buy a book, save 40 grand). The second type are more interesting, because to learn you need a good professor, a good class and a good discussion. For me, this type of courses are what the MBA is really about.

This week I have been busy in Strategies For Growth, a "type II course" and in my opinion the best course so far at LBS (see also a review from Karlitos here). The course is "is about how to create a growing firm", and is taught by the excellent prof Freek Vermeulen, who has put an enormous amount of work, research and professionalism in it.

There has been so much interesting stuff going on in the course that it would be impossible to capture it all in one post.

The most eye-opening thing for me has been understanding that strategy is not necessarily something that is designed upfront, but often emerges from the interactions between luck, the environment, the organisational culture and the manager's personality.

We have seen maybe ten case studies to prove the point, and this has left me with a pragmatic and reassuring approach to strategy making. Making strategy looking at the future is certainly a daunting prospect (and perhaps a pointless exercise, because you'll never get it right), but doing it whilst looking at the present (luck, the environment, the organisation, your personality) is certainly much more reassuring and effective.

To say it with Henry Mintzberg, perhaps "strategy is a pattern in a series of decisions".