After all the years I have been using strategy dynamics, I still find myself shocked at the power of this most basic of questions.

Time after time, executives get completely new insights from asking about just three numbers…

• How much have we got?
• How quickly are we winning more?
• How quickly are we losing?

… whether it’s customers, staff, or some other critical resource.

Take the case of a branded pain-relief product in the mature US market. Despite some growth in people using this brand, market ...