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Business Strategy

4 + 2

SM
Sturdy McKee
📅 August 19, 20252 min read

High-performing companies don't get there by accident.

Harvard Business Review, in their "Evergreen Project", studied 160 companies over 10 years, focusing on 200 tools to figure this out.

This is the 4+2 Formula that gives companies more than a 90% chance of outperforming their peers.

Here's what HBR found:

The most successful companies mastered 4 core areas:

  • Strategy
  • Execution
  • Culture
  • Structure

Then those successful companies picked 2 more of these 4:

  • Talent
  • Leadership
  • Innovation
  • Mergers & Partnerships

Let's break it down.

Strategy

Know exactly who you serve and why they choose you.

Create a simple value proposition.

Say it clearly. Say it often.

Execution

Get the right stuff done in the right way.

Align your efforts with your strategy.

Define how things are done and repeat it.

Culture

It's not soft. It's central.

Build a culture that drives your performance.

Every hire, process, and meeting should reflect it.

Structure

Keep it flat and fast.

Too many layers yields slow results.

Clarity beats bureaucracy.

Then you add your edge:

  • Want top Talent? Define what an A-player looks like in your context.
  • Want better Leadership? Build trust, spot problems early, act fast.
  • Want Innovation? Don't tweak. Transform.
  • Want smarter Growth? Small, strategic acquisitions outperform mega-deals.

Every company is different. But the formula works.

What is your 4+2?

Where does your business need to focus and commit in the 4+2?

Where are you strong?

Pick two to work on and improve this quarter.

Remember the adage that Consistency is more impactful than Intensity.

Get focused. Stay consistent. Outperform.

Want Help Picking Your Two?

If you are not sure where your business needs to focus in the 4+2, let's talk it through. Only if it's the right time for you.

SM

About Sturdy McKee

Sturdy McKee is the founder of Sturdy Coaching, LLC, and creator of The 6-Hour CEO™ approach. With two decades of experience scaling and selling a six-location physical therapy practice, Sturdy helps business owners transform from being the hardest-working player in their business to becoming its confident coach and strategist.