Why "End Game" Strategy?
By Jack Mixner 714 449 1040 www.mixnerstrategy.com
[Exit Strategy: An exit strategy is a means of escaping one's current situation, typically an unfavourable situation. An organization or individual without an exit strategy may be in a quagmire. At worst, an exit strategy will save face; at best, an exit strategy will peg a withdrawal to the achievement of an objective worth more than the cost of continued involvement. From Wikipedia.]
Many firms use the words "exit strategy" in their titles. Exit connotes an unfavorable situation. While sometimes all companies need to get out of a bad deal, I decided to look bit further.
"End game strategies" works better. Halberstam's book The Education of a Coach about Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots portrays an "end game" strategy. He describes Belichicks recognition that if you do not practice your end game far in advance your team will not respond the way you need them to in clutch situations, especially at the close of a crucial game.
Extricating a company from a quagmire with an exit strategy is a whole lot different from practicing an end game strategy, namely, analyzing and preparing over several years in advance in preparation for the last two minutes of a crucial game.
Strategic Implication
The end game strategy of identifying possibilities and enacting them with long-term focus makes sense, especially when compared to extricating yourself and your team from a quagmire late in the game.
It also increases your valuation.
References
Halberstam, David. The Education of a Coach. Wheeler Publishing. 2005.
Mixner, Jack Increasing Valuation - On End Game Strategy: Increase the Pace. http://mixnerstrategy.com/blog/2006/08/endgame_strategy_pace.html
Wikipedia. Definition: Exit Strategy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exit_strategy#In_business