On Grand Strategy is a sweeping review of strategy over the ages that develops the conclusion that great strategists have well-defined grand goals and go about achieving those grand goals in a methodical manner. This conclusion is presented by way of an analogy popularized by Isaiah Berlin’s essay about The Hedgehog and the Fox (the original story is attributed to the Ancient Greek poet Archilochus). In this analogy: “hedgehogs, who view the world through the lens of a single defining idea, and foxes, who draw on a wide variety of experiences and for whom the world cannot be boiled down to a single idea.”
You really should read or listen to On Grand Strategy, it’s very good, but the main lesson for entrepreneurs is that, yes, you need to have a vision for what you are doing but the work still must get done. Those who are successful grand strategists, for that matter successful entrepreneurs, have the capacity to synthesize their inner hedgehog and fox.
In an entrepreneurial context, this usually takes the form of a team of founders who all share the vision and combined have a wealth of experiences and knowledge that give them the circumspection needed to ably deliver on their shared mission. I’ve seen too many entrepreneurs fail because they were all hedgehog and not enough fox. Don’t let that be you.
Travis Lindsay
Professor and Investor
CSUF Entrepreneurship
We are dedicated to helping the next generation of entrepreneurs develop the skills that they need to compete locally and globally. The CSUF Entrepreneurship program does many things,