--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best answer to this puzzle is that…" description: "\"“The best answer to this puzzle is that the real surprise was that such a pure and focused strategy was actually implemented. Most complex organization..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d05/richard-p-rumelt-27695_strategy_the-best-answer-to-this-puzzle-is-that-t_2558574.jpg" --- # The best answer to this puzzle is that the real surprise… ![“The best answer to this puzzle is that the real surprise was that such a pure and focused strategy was actually implemented. Most complex organizations spread rather than concentrate resources, acting to placate and pay off internal and external interests. Thus, we are surprised when a complex…” quote by Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d05/richard-p-rumelt-27695_strategy_the-best-answer-to-this-puzzle-is-that-t_2558574.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d05/richard-p-rumelt-27695_strategy_the-best-answer-to-this-puzzle-is-that-t_2558574.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d05/richard-p-rumelt-27695_strategy_the-best-answer-to-this-puzzle-is-that-t_2558574.jpg) > ““The best answer to this puzzle is that the real surprise was that such a pure and focused strategy was actually implemented. Most complex organizations spread rather than concentrate resources, acting to placate and pay off internal and external interests. Thus, we are surprised when a complex organization, such as Apple or the U.S. Army, actually focuses its actions. Not because of secrecy, but because good strategy itself is unexpected.”” [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective strategy often defies expectations by concentrating resources, contrary to the diffusion typical in large organizations. **In simple terms:** Good strategy focuses resources unexpectedly. Key Takeaway Concentrate resources for impact. Themes strategy focus organization surprise leadership Mood analytical critical inspirational Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - corporate planning - military operations - product development - change management Key Concepts resource allocation strategic surprise organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders overcome internal resistance to focus? - What mechanisms ensure resources stay concentrated? A Different Perspective Even focused strategies can be hampered by internal politics and resistance to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complex Organizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complex-organizations-1584748/) [Focused Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused-strategy-1334439/) [Organizations Spread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organizations-spread-1584749/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Strategy Unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy-unexpected-1584747/) [Surprised Complex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised-complex-1584750/) ## Related quotes > [We adopted a focused strategy of core businesses in Citicorp that play to our unique historic strengths as a global bank that will provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-corbat/we-adopted-a-focused-strategy-of-core-businesses-in-citicorp-that/) [Michael Corbat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-corbat/) > [I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-spoken-of-a-thousand-points-of-light-of-all-the-community/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The landscape of professional creation continues to get more complex. 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And I laid out a plan that the Reagan Library…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/the-main-thing-we-should-be-focused-on-is-the-strategy-to-destroy/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [“a select group of high-performing companies have managed to close the strategy-to-performance gap through better planning and execution. These companies—Barclays, Cisco Systems, Dow Chemical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-mankins/a-select-group-of-high-performing-companies-have-managed-to-close-the/) [Michael C. Mankins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-mankins/) > [it's never been a plan to have this or that. 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There’s always money being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-blake/opportunities-change-strategies-change-but-people-and-psychology-do/) [Gil Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-blake/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) ## More by Richard P. Rumelt > [“The product lineup was too complicated and the company was bleeding cash. A friend of the family asked me which Apple computer she should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/the-product-lineup-was-too-complicated-and-the-company-was-bleeding/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [“Whatever you think about this definition of leadership, a problem arises when it is confused with strategy. Leadership and strategy may be joined in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/whatever-you-think-about-this-definition-of-leadership-a-problem/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [You overcome the logical resistance to change by proving that a new approach actually works, usually on a small scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/you-overcome-the-logical-resistance-to-change-by-proving-that-a-new/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [The US needs military/defense, economic, and social strategies. A medium-sized business, by contrast, is normally best off focusing its efforts on a single crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/the-us-needs-military-defense-economic-and-social-strategies-a-medium/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [“The most basic idea of strategy is the application of strength against weakness. Or, if you prefer, strength applied to the most promising opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/the-most-basic-idea-of-strategy-is-the-application-of-strength/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [“Many people call the guiding policy “the strategy” and stop there. This is a mistake. Strategy is about action, about doing something. 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So a sensible employee might indeed say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/a-real-strategy-is-a-coherent-mix-of-policy-and-action-designed-to/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [Change is difficult and it takes time. It is hard for people to change their own behavior, much less that of others. Change programs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/change-is-difficult-and-it-takes-time-it-is-hard-for-people-to-change/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [“Nevertheless, the doctrine that one can impose one’s visions and desires on the world by the force of thought alone retains a powerful appeal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/nevertheless-the-doctrine-that-one-can-impose-one-s-visions-and/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [“Not miscalculation, bad strategy is the active avoidance of the hard work of crafting a good strategy. One common reason for choosing avoidance is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/not-miscalculation-bad-strategy-is-the-active-avoidance-of-the-hard-2/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [A good strategy focuses efforts on a target, and that focus can only be achieved by not diffusing energy in other directions - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/a-good-strategy-focuses-efforts-on-a-target-and-that-focus-can-only/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [One of the problems many leaders report is a gap between strategy and execution. Usually this "gap" arises because the so-called "strategy" is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/one-of-the-problems-many-leaders-report-is-a-gap-between-strategy-and/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [A real strategy is not bottom up because it deals with issues that require unexpected or unusual types action, especially of coordination among units.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/a-real-strategy-is-not-bottom-up-because-it-deals-with-issues-that/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) [Explore all 20 Richard P. Rumelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) ## More Strategy quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [Opportunities change, strategies change, but people and psychology do not change. If trend-following systems don’t work well, something else will. There’s always money being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-blake/opportunities-change-strategies-change-but-people-and-psychology-do/) [Gil Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-blake/) > [Going to a site with more users seems obviously better to me, but at the same time, having a bland, middle of the road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/going-to-a-site-with-more-users-seems-obviously-better-to-me-but-at/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) > [When we shipped 'Borderlands 2,' we didn't ship it with a plan of how the level cap was going to increase. We didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/when-we-shipped-borderlands-2-we-didn-t-ship-it-with-a-plan-of-how/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-according-to-the-shapes-that-i-lay-the-plans-for-victory-but/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [it's never been a plan to have this or that. It's just where I am in my life, at that time, and where my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-gigandet/it-s-never-been-a-plan-to-have-this-or-that-it-s-just-where-i-am-in/) [Cam Gigandet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-gigandet/) > [“a select group of high-performing companies have managed to close the strategy-to-performance gap through better planning and execution. These companies—Barclays, Cisco Systems, Dow Chemical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-mankins/a-select-group-of-high-performing-companies-have-managed-to-close-the/) [Michael C. Mankins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-mankins/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [“Have a plan and change it often.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mikulovsky/have-a-plan-and-change-it-often/) [David Mikulovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mikulovsky/) > [Stalking is an underrated startup strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rottenberg/stalking-is-an-underrated-startup-strategy/) [Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/) > [Playing for complications is an extreme measure that a player should adopt only when he cannot find a clear and logical plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/playing-for-complications-is-an-extreme-measure-that-a-player-should/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [Help along one another's projects and plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/help-along-one-another-s-projects-and-plans/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) [Browse all 5,045 Strategy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The best answer to this puzzle is that the real surprise was that such a pure and focused strategy was actually implemented. 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