Strategy Workshop Toolkit by Paul Christodoulou

Cool for cats: Learn the laws of the jungle for strategy success

Don’t get on the wrong side of a tiger. Panthers are dangerous and not to be underestimated. The cheetah is quick off the blocks but may lack stamina for prolonged activity.

The law of the jungle provides a metaphor in Strategy Workshop Toolkit for corporate types who need to be engaged in order for successful strategy workshops to take place – a task akin to “herding wild cats”. 

Christodoulou, a senior industrial fellow at Cambridge University’s Institute for Manufacturing, provides a practical guide to getting the best out of the lion, or project sponsor, to the panther, or politician in the group, who many need to be “faced by a collective” of other wild cats in order to cooperate. 

Illustrating his light-hearted look at strategy with case studies from companies large and small, Christodoulou outlines the “golden rules” that should govern strategy workshops, from structuring teams correctly to choosing the right venue and materials. 

His book should provide a welcome read for engineers looking to negotiate the corporate jungle as they seek to develop strategies to improve their businesses.

• Strategy Workshop Toolkit by Paul Christodoulou, Strajectory, £18.99, ISBN 0956563805