Louis V. Gerstner Jr. was CEO of IBM from 1993 to 2002.   He managed the turn-around of the company from a product business to a service and solution business.  He is regarded by many as “the man who saved IBM”.

“It is extremely difficult to develop a unique strategy for a company; and if the strategy is truly different from what others in the industry are doing, it is probably highly risky.

…. at the end of the day, more often than not, every competitor basically fights with the same weapons.

…. in most industries five or six success factors that drive performance can be identified.

…. it is difficult, if not impossible, to redefine what it takes to be successful in that industry.

…. so execution is really the critical part of a successful strategy.  Getting it done, getting in done right, getting it done better than the next person is far more important than dreaming up new visions of the future.”