In times of rapid change, conventional wisdom suggests that hesitating is not a winning strategy. Material science breakthroughs, business model innovation, changing consumer patterns, and the ubiquity of AI are creating anxiety for many C-suite executives. If you don’t do fill-in-the-blank-thing right now, could someone else beat you to it, and box you out for the next 20 years?
When an Active Pause Is the Best Strategic Choice
Three situations in which watchful waiting might be the right call.
January 15, 2024
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Summary.
In the face of competitive threats, managers are tempted to do something, because being active feels better than being passive. In fact, an active pause can make the most sense. This is especially true in industries facing a big technological change, when going “all in” on a nascent technology may have larger long-term costs than benefits.
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