“It is more productive to convert an opportunity into results than to solve a problem – Which only restores the equilibrium of yesterday.” ~ Peter Drucker I am a sucker for solving problems. And I have to take heed to the wisdom in this quote. Which one makes more impact? A new opportunity or anContinue reading “This is More Productive”
Tag Archives: Strategy
Be Clear About Who Your Customer Is
In case it doesn’t sink in, remember, you are one of 330M people in the United States. Go to the airport, a concert or any large gathering to get a small glimpse of how minute you are in a sea of people. The strategy to try and work with everyone is a sure fire wayContinue reading “Be Clear About Who Your Customer Is”
How Do You Make it More Expensive?
When we think about a problem, we like to solve it. Our brains are suckers for the open loop and we want to close it. If you are asking how to make something cheaper, you get solutions and thoughts on cost-cutting or quality cutting. And those that are super efficient at making things cheap haveContinue reading “How Do You Make it More Expensive?”
Credibility
Does it work? Was it designed in and for the real world? It’s critical to take whatever idea you have and see if it stands up to the rigor and texture of people – customers, partners, critics, etc – in the real world. That’s honest design. Credibility comes from proof that what you conceived canContinue reading “Credibility”
How to Be a Resource Maven
Today, we have too much information and technology, not too little. And information and tools are cheap and accessible. You can create value for others by curating information and sharing it specifically and personally. Sure, people share on social media, but it gets drowned out and is hard to consider in the scrolling sea ofContinue reading “How to Be a Resource Maven”
Be a Ruthless Pruner
We are always working on yesterday’s commitments. And when we have committed, it’s so easy to make those decisions sacred. Such reverence for our past commitments builds up continual clutter, drag and mediocrity in our work and lives. Without knowing it, we are managing many subpar projects, possessions and relationships at the cost of whatContinue reading “Be a Ruthless Pruner”
Be a Lateral Thinker
When we are buried in the details of our work, it’s hard to look around and see connections to worlds outside ourselves. We can be talking to the same people within our crowd, read the same blogs, and look at the world through a myopic lens. Some of the big ideas of today such asContinue reading “Be a Lateral Thinker”
Collecting and Testing Mental Models
Principles prevail in a world of chaos. Much of life is indeed chaos. I think the importance of collecting and testing your mental models – how you problem solve and approach the world – is critical to drive success. The 80/20 rule can help you focus on what has the best payoffs. Eliminating drain peopleContinue reading “Collecting and Testing Mental Models”
The Strategy of Going with the Winner
There is an irony about free markets that the collective participates in. On the one hand, we have massive choice in many categories. On the other hand, over time, we have a winner-take-all outcome. Over time, people consolidate and choose the best. We don’t have all these phones. We have iPhones. We have Starbucks, NetflixContinue reading “The Strategy of Going with the Winner”
Always Monitor Relevance
I went through a lot of old digital files recently in my Google Drive as part of a pruning day. I had everything from client projects from years ago to books I was working on to consulting and coaching tools for strategy. The vast majority of information was irrelevant to what I am doing today.Continue reading “Always Monitor Relevance”
