Articulate your Core Business, which is a set of functions, processes and capabilities that produce most of the value in your business.
What Is the Core Business Lens™?
The Core Business Lens™ is a guide-led session that teaches leaders how to define their core business—the part of the business that deserves the majority of focus because it is where you can be great, create substantial value, and be efficient and profitable.
Why Your Core Business Matters
When your core is clear, your strategy becomes easier:
- You make better trade-offs
- You stop accepting unprofitable work
- You protect your best strengths and assets
- You build a clearer market position
The 8-Question of the Core Business Lens™
Your Summit OS Guide™ walks your team through eight questions designed to pinpoint the true core of your business:
- What are you best at? (a “Good to Great” style starting point)
- What is the root of your competitive advantage? (people, culture, product, channels, partnerships, etc.)
- Is that advantage still relevant? (avoid being focused on the “wrong thing”)
- Is your market still using your core assets? (assets can shift from equipment to engineering skills, etc.)
- Which products/services are most distinctive? (think of the Porsche 911)
- Which products/services are most profitable? (often the mundane makes more money)
- Which customers are most satisfied? (the answer may surprise you)
- Which customers/channels/purchase occasions are most profitable? (e.g., the 20% that drive 80% of your profit)
What You’ll Walk Away With
After completing the Core Business Lens™ exercise, teams leave with:
- A clear definition of their core business
- Better focus on the work that drives profit and differentiation
- Stronger alignment for the next strategy tools (market, positioning, constraints)
- A practical filter for deciding what to do more of—and what to stop doing
Next Steps
Ready to clarify the core that drives your results?