Richard Rumelt Buena estrategia / Mala estrategia (originally Good Strategy Bad Strategy
) is widely considered a definitive guide to strategic thinking. Rumelt argues that most "strategies" are actually just wishful thinking, slogans, or financial goals—what he labels as bad strategy The 4 Hallmarks of Bad Strategy
According to Rumelt, bad strategy is not simply the absence of a good one; it is a specific failure of leadership characterized by four signs:
: Using high-sounding, abstract words (corporate "babble") to create the illusion of high-level thinking. Failure to face the challenge
: Not defining the actual problem, making it impossible to evaluate or overcome. Mistaking goals for strategy
: Treating desire (e.g., "20% increase in revenue") as a plan for achieving it. Bad strategic objectives
: Setting "blue sky" goals that are either unrealistic or fail to address critical issues. The "Kernel" of Good Strategy
Rumelt proposes a simple three-part framework for creating a good strategy , which he calls the "kernel":
In his book Good Strategy/Bad Strategy (published in Spanish as Buena estrategia / Mala estrategia), Richard P. Rumelt
argues that a true strategy is a focused response to a specific challenge, rather than a collection of ambitious goals or "fluffy" buzzwords. The "Kernel" of a Good Strategy
A robust strategy must include three essential elements, which Rumelt calls the "kernel":
Diagnosis: An explanation of the nature of the challenge. This simplifies the complex situation by identifying critical obstacles. buena estrategia mala estrategia richard p r link
Guiding Policy: An overall approach chosen to overcome the obstacles identified in the diagnosis. It provides direction without dictating every specific step.
Coherent Actions: A coordinated set of steps designed to carry out the guiding policy. These actions must work together rather than at cross-purposes. Hallmarks of a Bad Strategy
Rumelt identifies four common symptoms that indicate a flawed strategic approach: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy | Richard Rumelt
Good Strategy/Bad Strategy (Buena estrategia, mala estrategia), Richard Rumelt argues that effective strategy constitutes a coherent response to high-stakes challenges, defined by a "kernel" of diagnosis, guiding policy, and coherent action. Contrarily, bad strategy is characterized by fluff, failure to face problems, and confusing goals with strategy. For a detailed summary, visit Lenny's Newsletter
En su libro Good Strategy/Bad Strategy (Buena estrategia/Mala estrategia), Richard Rumelt
rompe con la idea de que la estrategia es simplemente una lista de metas ambiciosas. Para Rumelt, la verdadera estrategia es un ejercicio de enfoque y resolución de problemas
que requiere enfrentar retos específicos con acciones coordinadas. El Núcleo de una Buena Estrategia (The Kernel)
Rumelt define una "buena estrategia" a través de una estructura lógica de tres partes esenciales que él llama "el núcleo": Notes from “Good Strategy / Bad Strategy” by Jeff Zych
Good strategy is about focusing and coordinating efforts to achieve an outcome, which necessarily means saying “No” to some goals, “Good Strategy Bad Strategy” Book Summary | South
Richard Rumelt's " Good Strategy, Bad Strategy " is considered one of the most influential books on strategic thinking because it strips away corporate jargon to focus on real problem-solving.
According to Rumelt, a strategy is not a "vision," a "mission statement," or a "financial goal" like "increasing sales by 20%." Instead, a strategy is a cohesive response to a specific challenge. 1. The Kernel of Good Strategy Clave : El diagnóstico debe replantear el problema
Rumelt argues that every good strategy has a basic underlying structure called the Kernel, which consists of three essential elements:
The Diagnosis: An explanation of the nature of the challenge. A good diagnosis simplifies the complexity of reality by identifying the critical aspects of the situation.
A Guiding Policy: An overall approach chosen to cope with or overcome the obstacles identified in the diagnosis. It provides a direction without detailing every step.
Coherent Actions: A set of coordinated steps designed to carry out the guiding policy. These actions must be consistent and reinforce each other. 2. Hallmarks of Bad Strategy
Rumelt identifies four major "symptoms" that indicate a strategy is ineffective:
Fluff: Using high-sounding, empty words and buzzwords to create the illusion of high-level thinking.
Failure to face the challenge: If you don't define the problem, you cannot evaluate or execute a strategy to fix it.
Mistaking goals for strategy: "Winning" or "being number one" are goals, not strategies. Strategy is how you will achieve those goals.
Bad strategic objectives: Setting objectives that are either "blue-sky" (unrealistic) or just a "to-do list" of unrelated projects. 3. Sources of Strategic Power
A good strategy gains its power by focusing resources on a "pivot point" where they will have the greatest impact. Common sources of power include: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy | Richard Rumelt
Title:
Understanding Strategic Divergence: A Review of Richard P. Rumelt’s Good Strategy Bad Strategy activo y parásito
Author: [Your Name]
Course: Strategic Management
Date: [Current Date]
Aquí se define la naturaleza del desafío. No es simplemente "queremos vender más". Es un análisis profundo: "Estamos perdiendo participación de mercado porque nuestro competidor X ha reducido costos en un 30% mediante automatización, mientras nosotros seguimos dependiendo de procesos manuales".
Uso de palabras sofisticadas que no dicen nada. Ejemplo: "Nuestra estrategia es aprovechar sinergias proactivas de valor agregado para empoderar soluciones de siguiente nivel". Traducción: nada.
Aquí es donde la mayoría fracasa. Las acciones no pueden ser una lista de buenos deseos. Deben ser coordinadas, no competitivas entre sí. Si tu guía es "centralizar la producción", no puedes seguir permitiendo que cada región compre su propio inventario.
Richard P. Rumelt’s Good Strategy Bad Strategy provides a powerful, actionable framework for distinguishing between real strategy and empty rhetoric. A good strategy is not a goal or a vision—it is a hypothesis about how to overcome a specific challenge, expressed through a clear diagnosis, a guiding policy, and coherent actions. Bad strategy, by contrast, hides in fluff, avoids the hard work of choice, and mistakes desires for plans. Leaders who internalize Rumelt’s kernel can transform their organizations from reactive chaos to focused, adaptive execution.
A good strategy has a simple, logical structure that Rumelt calls the kernel:
According to Rumelt, bad strategy is not simply the absence of strategy—it is an active, identifiable construct that masquerades as strategic thought. Bad strategy emerges from four main sources:
A hallmark of bad strategy is strategic obfuscation: using complex language to avoid the discomfort of making clear trade-offs and choices.
Richard P. Rumelt no es un gurú más de autoayuda corporativa. Es reconocido por The Economist como uno de los pensadores vivos más influyentes en el campo de la gestión y la estrategia. Su carrera ha estado dedicada a diagnosticar por qué las organizaciones fracasan.
A diferencia de otros autores que venden fórmulas mágicas, Rumelt se basa en el diagnóstico profundo y la acción enfocada. Su tesis central es sencilla pero devastadora:
"Una mala estrategia no es simplemente la ausencia de una buena estrategia. Es un animal diferente, activo y parásito, que utiliza las mismas palabras pero vaciándolas de significado."