Strategy you can actually implement.
We help organisations develop clear strategy – and turn it into action.
Clear thinking. No fluff. Just strategy that gets implemented.
Why us?
We are a small founder-led boutique strategy consultancy with global reach. We specialise in working with select clients to develop highly innovative but actionable strategies that deliver real-world results using the approach described in Craig Lawrence’s best selling book, The Quick Guide to Effective Strategy. You can see Craig’s view of strategy in the YouTube short ‘What is strategy?’ and find out more about his book by scrolling down to ‘Our unique approach’.
Unlike many consultancies, we don’t just present our clients with a completed strategy and walk away. Instead, we work with them every step of the way, from facilitating initial workshops to establish their vision and current baseline, through to developing a winning strategy and aligning their organisation to support its successful implementation.
And because between 70% to 90% of ALL strategies fail during implementation, we continue to support our clients during this critical phase. We take the same approach in all our projects, from strategy development through to training design.
Our unique approach
The approach we take to developing strategy is described in Craig Lawrence’s best selling book, The Quick Guide to Effective Strategy. We apply a unique five-stage approach based on 14 critical thinking questions, each of which targets a key aspect of a strategy’s development. We work with our clients to answer each question by applying a proven range of analytical tools, techniques and frameworks that provide rigour, clarity and insight.
Our approach ensures that the strategies we develop have the eight characteristics of the most effective strategies and pass the so-called ‘Five Tests of Strategy.’ Strategies that don’t have these characteristics and don’t pass the five tests might look good on paper or in Powerpoint slides but they usually fail during implementation, which accounts for the high failure rates mentioned above.
Awards and recognition
As well as our unique approach, what also differentiates us from others is our proven ability to deliver award winning training to upskill our clients’ own strategy making teams. For example, in 2023, 2024 and again in October 2025, we won national education and training awards from Corporate Vision for our course on ‘Developing and Implementing Effective Strategy‘.
This course is recognised by the UK’s Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and is a great way for a client to develop a new strategy AND invest in their people, their most important asset – a ‘win-win’ outcome. And because transforming organisations to achieve ambitious visions requires more than just effective strategies, we also focus on helping our clients develop their strategic leadership skills.
Global reach
Although based in the UK and Middle East, we have global reach and have helped governments, companies and charities develop winning strategy solutions in Africa and the Caribbean, as well as in London and Riyadh. Founded by Craig Lawrence CBE, an ex-British Army Major General, we are also as comfortable working with clients in unstable, conflict-affected states as we are in the boardrooms of major cities.
You can see the range of services we provide, review examples of some of the recent work we’ve done and see some of the organisations we’ve worked with below. And if you want to find out more about our unique approach, have a quick look at our new strategy book or watch some of our short strategy films. Then if you think we might be able help you, please get in touch.
Real world impact: recent examples of our work
Much of the work we do is sensitive and covered by Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) which preclude us from going into the exact nature of how we have helped a specific client. However, the below should provide an idea of the sorts of projects we have recently completed.
Strategy development
- Developed a ‘strategy for growth’ for a medium sized real estate company in the Middle East, exploiting opportunities created by changes in the law to diversify into new markets and identify new sources of capital investment. The outcome was an accessible 5-year strategy with an ambitious but achievable vision and a clear route for realising it.
- Developed a strategy for a national UK charity, helping it to understand how the changing operational environment creates both opportunities (which the strategy exploits) and threats (which the strategy addresses). A critical part of the new strategy was turning the organisation’s ‘as is’ weaknesses into strengths, reinforcing its foundations and enabling it to expand and diversify its range of operations to achieve its ambitious vision.
- Developed a strategy for a prestigious UK research institution, positioning it to exploit changes in government priorities. This provided much-needed clarity of purpose and identified, and prioritised, new areas of research funding, which the strategy helped secure.
- Reviewed a strategy for a private schools foundation in the Middle East, making recommendations for how it could be improved given how the foundation’s operating environment is changing. The recommendations again provided clarity of purpose. Most importantly, they also reduced the number of strategic objectives to a more manageable and achievable number whilst still achieving the vision.
Strategy courses and workshops
- Delivered ‘Developing and Implementing Strategy’ courses to strategy teams in three different government departments in a Middle Eastern country. The strategies developed during the courses are now being refined prior to their implementation. Upskilled and confident in their abilities, the teams will be well placed to adapt the strategies once implementation is underway should the situation change (as it inevitably will). All those who completed the courses joined the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) as Foundation Chartered Managers, beginning their professional journeys to become Chartered Managers.
- Designed and delivered a workshop on ‘Strategic Risk’ to the governors of a leading UK independent schools group. This lifted their focus from the day-to-day challenges of running high-performing schools and encouraged them to think more strategically about the existential threats and remarkable opportunities that their changing operating environment is likely to create over the next five years.
- Designed and delivered a 8-hour series of workshops on ‘Effective Strategy Implementation.’ The workshops covered everything from ‘why strategies fail’ and ‘road testing a strategy prior to implementation’ through to ‘developing effective KPIs’ and ‘adapting a strategy when it’s not working.’
- Delivered a strategy masterclass to a leading UK Government leadership academy. The masterclass covered everything from ‘what is strategy’ and ‘why strategies fail’ through to ‘how to develop and implementing effective strategy’ and ‘how to lead the development of effective strategy.’
Training and education design and delivery
- Designed and delivered two 19-week training courses for 1,000 male recruits in a Middle Eastern country. We led the design of the courses and provided the leadership of the multi-million pound programmes during implementation. The project was delivered on behalf of an international development company contracted by the UK Home Office.
- Working in conjunction with a leading UK University, we led the design of a one year postgraduate course in strategy and strategic leadership for the National Defence University of a Middle Eastern Country.
What our clients say
‘A very enjoyable and thought provoking three days. I liked that we did move at pace…The draft strategy is exceedingly useful…I was singing your praises to a CEO of another charity this week for the work you have done with us.’ CEO of national charity
‘Thank you again for all your support – we have now achieved several of the outcomes in the vision (target was by Dec 2027) and are on track to achieve the main one.’ Senior Executive, research institute‘
‘Craig was an approachable, engaging and inclusive facilitator, and brought out a full range of ideas from each member of the team by creating a collaborative and relaxed atmosphere. I would fully recommend him to any business seeking strategic clarity.’ Department Head, international recruitment company
‘A really productive session…you have been hugely helpful in sharpening our thinking about our future direction of travel – we’re in a good place to move forward.’ Executive Director, international bank
‘Really enjoyable couple of days and great fun to spend with the team. Craig was fantastic and got everyone thinking. It was rewarding to come up with a strategy that everyone has fed into and a great opportunity to hear everyone’s honest reflections on what we do well and what we do less well. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought and would certainly recommend it to my contacts.’ Executive Director, international recruitment company
‘The course was more fun and engaging than I expected.’ Middle Eastern delegate
‘I really enjoyed the strategy days…The atmosphere was definitely one where everyone could contribute and all ideas were listened to.’ Account Director, international recruitment company
‘An excellent course. I appreciate the strong process which was delivered by excellent professionals. The process delivered, provides an excellent system to develop a strategic plan/strategy.’ Government official, Cayman Islands
‘Thank you so much for the amazing and informative course. I’m so glad I was part of the team.’ Middle Eastern Delegate
‘Excellent course – great presentations and information supplied. Great teamworking by all – shows that various departments can come together and produce results.’ Government official, Cayman Islands
Some of our clients
Our clients include commercial businesses (both in the UK and overseas), government departments (UK and overseas), charities, international banks, the armed forces, universities and other institutes. The logos below give an idea of the range of organisations we have helped (there are lots more but many are covered by NDAs and won’t let us display their logos).
Craig Lawrence Consulting Limited is registered in England and Wales under registration 13999213.
Our registered address is: Windover House, St Ann Street, Salisbury, SP1 2DR