Foundation
The identity layer of the execution stack, consisting of Mission, Vision, Values, Beliefs, and Principles. All strategy should trace back to and remain coherent with foundation. (Strategy as Infrastructure, Ch 4)
Why it matters
Foundation is the most neglected layer in strategy — not because leaders don’t care about identity, but because they believe they’ve already addressed it. Every company has a mission statement. Most have values on the wall. But most mission statements could belong to any company in the industry, most values are aspirational rather than operational, and beliefs are almost universally missing. Foundation is where the values-vs-beliefs distinction lives.
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