Book Review | Go For Bold by Rosie Yeo

By the time I was halfway through Go for Bold, I’d realised that Rosie Yeo has seen some things at the interminable strategy sessions to which she refers. You know, the ones that drag on all day with everyone eyeing the door for the last hour, and after which no one can articulate an actual strategy. In this book, Rosie challenges leaders to push for more, to focus on actual outcomes, and to create useful, forward-thinking strategy for an organisation of any size.

The title of Chapter 1 – Death by framework (and other problems with our approach to strategy) – throws Rosie’s perspective into clear focus. She’s adamantly opposed to focusing on frameworks, agendas and meeting logistics at the expense of actual strategic outcomes.

‘Leaders need to expect more of – and invest more in – strategic conversations’ may not be set out this plainly until page 127, but it’s the clear theme running through the book. But Rosie doesn’t just tell leaders to get out there and do it, she offers tools – not a framework! – and her own reflections to guide us along the way. Rosie’s advice is peppered with interesting anecdotes from her own experiences and some documented by other organisations, and each chapter ends with a helpful recap of its main points.

I found Chapter 5 – Consensus fuels action – especially insightful. Rosie champions consensus to form strategy, but then encourages us to consider what consensus actually means. We’re reminded that consensus is not necessarily unanimous, and it’s not about finding something to which no one objects. Rosie encourages the idea of consensus as ‘I can work with this and I will support it’. It’s a concept built on shared understanding and a commitment to action, not avoiding disagreement.

This is a great book for experienced leaders wondering how to invigorate their strategy sessions, but also for every person who has ever sat through a strategy session wondering ‘what are we doing here?’ and hopes to avoid doing so ever again.

Review by Amanda Dickerson – Copywriter and Editor at Capital Letters

Go For Bold: How to create powerful strategy in uncertain times by Rosie Yeo is available now