Rich Horwath: Stop Wasting Time on Business Strategy That Doesn't Work

In a world where “strategy” has become a buzzword and busywork often masquerades as progress, host Adam Contos sits down with renowned strategic thinking expert Rich Horwath, today on Start With a Win, to cut through the noise and get to what really drives results.  This conversation dives into the hidden habits, mindsets, and decision filters that separate reactive leaders from truly intentional ones - those who create clarity, focus their teams, and win on purpose instead of by accident. Packed with sharp insights, real-world stories, and practical wisdom, this episode challenges you to rethink how you spend your time, set priorities, and lead with direction. If you’re ready to trade chaos for clarity and turn strategy into a daily advantage, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Rich Horwath is the Founder and CEO of the Strategic Thinking Institute, where he helps leadership teams think, plan, and act more strategically to drive direction, advantage, and results. A strategy workshop facilitator, executive coach, and keynote speaker, he has helped more than 250,000 leaders worldwide strengthen their strategic capabilities. Rich is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of eight books, has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review, and is recognized by Chief Executive Magazine as “the world’s foremost expert on strategic thinking.”
A former chief strategy officer and top-ranked graduate professor of strategy, Rich combines real-world experience with practical tools executives can apply immediately. Inspired by a leader’s question - “How can I become more strategic?” - he built a roadmap to help leaders move from tactical to strategic thinking and continues his mission to teach the world to be strategic.
00:00 Intro
03:04 Define it…only three words! 
05:10 Biggest mistake that leaders make…
08:30 A two-page plan, goals (what) and how, is that really all I need!
11:50 This needs to happen every 90 days! 
14:30 How do we fix middle management?
17:28 How to think about strategy and culture?
19:07 The three As!
22:24 A golden insight, write that down…
25:02 A habit that will help stick to your strategy!
28:05 A what workout…

www.StrategySkills.com
https://www.strategyskills.com/strategic-book/

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