The Strategy Dialogues: A Primer on Business Strategy and Strategic Management
What does it mean to think strategically? How do you set the right direction for your organization? And how can strategic aspirations be turned into real results?
In The Strategy Dialogues, Dr. John Hillen—former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, accomplished CEO, and award-winning professor—offers a powerful and practical exploration of business strategy. Through a series of insightful workshops and dynamic conversations, Hillen demystifies strategic thinking and management, making them accessible, engaging, and directly applicable to real-world challenges.
Readers will learn how to think and act strategically in any organization or industry, gaining a deeper understanding of how to align long-term vision with practical execution. Hillen introduces a set of foundational frameworks and proven analytical tools that bring clarity to complex decisions, offering readers a way to simplify and structure their strategic thinking.
More than just tools, the book reveals the essential qualities of strategic leadership. Through engaging dialogue and real-world examples, it shows how discipline, focus, and consistent practice can transform a leader’s ability to guide teams, navigate uncertainty, and drive sustained success.
Whether you’re an executive seeking clarity, a team leader driving change, or a student preparing to lead, The Strategy Dialogues is your essential companion for understanding, applying, and mastering the principles of strategic management. This book is a one-stop guide to turning strategic insight into strategic impact.
AUTHOR
Dr. John Hillen is a rare fusion of battlefield-tested leader, boardroom strategist, and award-winning educator. A decorated U.S. Army combat veteran, former Assistant Secretary of State, and accomplished CEO, Hillen has led from the front in war zones, the highest levels of government, and the C-suite of public and private companies. He has built and sold four mid-sized companies, served on numerous corporate boards, and now shapes the next generation of leaders as a celebrated professor at Duke University, George Mason University, and Hampden-Sydney College.
An acclaimed speaker and executive coach, Hillen brings unmatched depth to topics of strategy, leadership, and reinvention. His newest book, The Strategy Dialogues, distills decades of real-world experience into a practical guide for mastering strategic thinking, earning praise from luminaries like Patrick Lencioni and Marshall Goldsmith. A Fulbright Scholar with degrees from Duke, Oxford, King’s College London, and Cornell, Hillen’s insights are as scholarly as they are street-smart.
Whether advising military leaders, corporate executives, or aspiring entrepreneurs, Hillen’s unique journey—from combat zones to corporate boardrooms—offers a perspective few can match. His storytelling, humility, and hard-won wisdom make him one of today’s most compelling voices on leadership and strategy.