According to the Baldrige Criteria, strategy development involves collecting and analyzing data and information about internal capabilities, external factors, and long-term sustainability. If you only consider existing internal capabilities, you may miss major shifts in customer wants and needs that could be opportunities to grow.

A recent blog by Scott Anthony on HarvardBusiness.org identified a key area to consider as part of any strategic planning assessment. In “Constant Transformation Is the New Normal,” Anthony notes that “transformation requires a relentless outside-in focus” to identify opportunities for growth. “Then companies need to determine which of their capabilities they can borrow to seize that opportunity,” he writes, “which new capabilities they need to create, and which capabilities exist on the open market.”

Anthony quotes Jeff Bezos of Amazon who said, “If you want to really continually revitalize the service you provide the customer you can’t stop at what you’re good at. You have to ask what do our customers need and want. And no matter how hard it is, you better get good at those things.”

Building the capabilities you need to better serve your customers is the focus of another Criteria question: “How do you assess your workforce capability and capacity needs, including skills, competencies, and staffing levels?” As Anthony and Bezos observe, your organization had better include an outside-in focus during this assessment if you hope to meet current and future customer needs.

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