ONE of the main "strategic dilemmas" facing a CEO isn't so much about choosing which markets or business segments you do want to be active in. It's about choosing in which you don't.

There are myriad options that land on your desk every day which promise to open up a lucrative new revenue stream, capture more parts of your industry's value chain, diversify your "empire" or establish you as the leader in the next big thing.

However, I'm a firm believer that indigestion is a bigger cause of ruin in business than starvation. Being successful means having the discipline to say no to ideas and initiatives that could distract you from the sector or activity where you can deliver the most value.