When you’re stuck on a project, how do you decide what to do next?
Here are three practical tips for thinking more strategically from the latest Daily Creative episode featuring my conversation with Seth Godin about his latest book This Is Strategy.
Brave: Shun the Nonbelievers! (Sometimes)
Brave leadership doesn’t mean convincing everyone; it means focusing on those who can actually help you move the needle on your objectives. Despite how daunting it may feel, not everyone needs to agree with your vision. However, you need to enlist the right people.
As Seth Godin emphasized in our conversation, “You do not need everyone to agree with you. You simply need at the beginning to find the people who are enrolled in your journey.” Shun the nonbelievers who drain your energy and focus on building momentum with those who see your vision. But, make sure you’re paying attention to those who believe in your cause, but want to help you refine your strategy or vision.
Do you spend the majority of your time and energy soliciting help from those who support your cause, or trying to convince those who will never be with you?
Focused: Simplify The Strategy
Unnecessary complexity is often the enemy of effective strategy. We try to make things more complex than they need to be because we believe the narrative that says “if it’s not complicated, it’s not valuable.” That’s simply untrue.
Instead of adding layers of unnecessary complexity, look for elegant solutions. As Tim Ferriss often asks, “What would this look like if it were easy?” That doesn’t mean the work is easy – just the strategy. Simplify to magnify your impact.
How can you simplify your current strategy to help you better focus on what matters?
Brilliant: Work Within the System
Transformative ideas understand and leverage existing systems. Rather than attempting to overhaul an entire organization, aim to subtly influence and gradually shift dynamics. Seth Godin brilliantly illustrated this by sharing how Michelin tried to change the entire system overnight by launching tires that never go flat and failed, and advises us that instead of naively trying to change the whole system, “Create the conditions for the system to change.”
As a strategic thinker, consider where you are trying to change systems that don’t want to be changed, and thereby wasting your precious time and resources. Instead, think strategically about how you can leverage the system to achieve your desired outcomes.
How can I align my desired outcomes with the existing incentives within the system I operate?
Listen to the conversation:
