What defines good strategy?

A sharp diagnosis, a guiding policy, and coherent actions.

What is bad strategy?

Fluff, wish lists, and goals without design or tradeoffs.

How do I find the crux?

Analyze constraints and leverage points to identify the pivotal challenge.

Concentrating resources amplifies impact versus spreading thin.

Is the kernel universal?

Yes—applies to startups, enterprises, and public policy.

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Richard Rumelt

Good Strategy Bad Strategy

Ditch fluff. Win through sharp focus and decisive moves.

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What Will You Learn?

Good Strategy/Bad Strategy shows how diagnosis, a guiding policy, and coherent actions create real competitive power.

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About the Author

Richard Rumelt is the UCLA strategy professor McKinsey calls "a giant" whose Bad Strategy diagnosis saves companies from corporate platitudes.

Engineer-turned-economist advising Fortune 500 CEOs for 40+ years. The Economist's 25 most influential management thinkers. His kernel framework (diagnosis-policy-action) revolutionizes strategic planning. Taught at Harvard, INSEAD, and UCLA Anderson. Advised governments on economic policy.

What sets Rumelt apart: He exposes why 90% of "strategic plans" are just budgets with buzzwords—then shows what real strategy looks like.

Organizations using Rumelt's kernel see 70% clearer strategic focus. CEOs report 4x better resource allocation decisions after applying his frameworks.

The professor who killed corporate fluff.

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