Beliefs
Assertions about how the world works that a strategy bets on. Distinct from values (which are choices about what matters). Beliefs can be proven wrong. Making them explicit allows them to be monitored and updated. (Strategy as Infrastructure, Ch 4)
Why it matters
The values-vs-beliefs distinction is the single most common structural flaw in strategy foundations. Values are choices about what matters — no evidence changes them. Beliefs are bets about reality — evidence can prove them wrong. The test is simple: can it be proven wrong? If yes, it is a belief. Making beliefs explicit is the first step toward assumption management; leaving them implicit means the strategy flies on premises nobody has examined.
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