Stop Dissing Strategy!

Reading time: 4.5 min - Welcome to 10 new subscribers!

Good morning, this is Refresh. Rethink. Your weekly MBA course in Strategy, Organization, Leadership, and Productivity.

“Oh my, that’s a lot of topics! Leon, why don’t you pick just one?”

The truth is… I can’t. Asking me to choose just one is like asking me to keep just one of my legs or arms.

Let me explain.

Working with online entrepreneurs who want to detach themselves from their businesses taught me one thing. You can’t solve all the roadblocks to running your business on autopilot, if you only focus on Strategy, Strategy+Organization, or some other combination that doesn’t involve ALL 4 pillars. Those roadblocks also tend to team up, binging on the entrepreneur’s precious time that they otherwise could have spent on what matters most to them.

Whether it comes to strategic work, creative projects, or simply more time for yourself, any entrepreneur can benefit from more time away from all the little nitty-gritty mind-boggling operational details.

With that mouthful out of the way, let me introduce the topic of today’s newsletter to you.

In this issue, you’ll learn why the 4 pillars I mentioned (Strategy, Organization, Leadership, Productivity) are necessary for autopiloting your business and life as an entrepreneur. They stick together like the 4 musketeers (don’t forget D'artagnan!).

Let’s take a dive into the first pillar – Strategy.

1. Strategy

There are many ways to define Strategy, but I see it as a set of choices that you make with your team on where to spend your time, energy, and money. And especially, the choices regarding what NOT to waste those precious resources on.

Business strategy tells us what obstacles to overcome and what actions to take to reach our goals.

This all sounds super simple, but in my experience, Strategy is one of the most misunderstood topics in business. People see it as a 50-page document that only big corporates use.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Everyone and everything has a strategy. Even when it comes to your private life and your family.

Do you think you don’t have a strategy? I beg to differ.

Just look back at the past few weeks. Where have you been spending most of your time and energy? If you spent a lot of time with your children, it means you are probably working toward your goal of being a good parent. And parenting comes with obstacles we need to overcome. Just like in business.

Strategy needs execution, and that’s why we build an Organization.

2. Organization

What is an Organization? A bank is an organization, and so is your local cafe or volleyball club. Essentially it’s a group of people, working together towards a common purpose. That’s what an Organization is at its surface.

But to me, it is more than just that.

To me, an Organization expands beyond the people forming it. It also encompasses processes, goals, plans, and measurements that drive the company from the point of departure to its destination.

You need all of this to drive execution. You probably heard that “Execution is King”, but you really need to know what to execute on, right? How otherwise will you have any idea about what your organization needs to look like?

That’s why Strategy and Organization are inseparable.

But how can we make sure that people actually WANT to work towards the company’s destination?

For that, we need “Leadership”.

3. Leadership

Leadership is one of those broad topics that everyone has their own opinion on. That’s because leadership as a field is constantly evolving. A few decades ago, great leaders were authoritative, dominant, invulnerable and pushy, when it came to their visions.

Those days are gone.

Right now, great leaders are seen as inclusive, empathic, collaborative people, who act like coaches, when it comes to bringing their vision to life.

This new way appeals to me more than the old one. What about you?

To me, leadership is not accidental. It’s an intentional practice of building a psychologically safe work culture where people are heard, get what they need to succeed as individuals, and have freedom and autonomy in their work.

When there is no Leadership, there is no execution, and without that, it’s impossible to reach your destination.

That’s how Strategy, Organization and Leadership work together.

“But Leon, what about tools, processes and systems?”

Yep, you’re right, I did mention all of these. I call that Productivity!

4. Productivity

To me, Productivity is not trying to get as much done working 12-hour days. It’s about getting more of the RIGHT things done without spending more of our precious resources (time, money, and energy). This works for both individuals and organizations.

A productive organization focuses effort toward the destination. At the same time, processes, procedures, systems, digital tools, habits, and boundaries are means of getting there efficiently.

It’s another mouthful but all of those elements are important. Have a look at the logic here:

• First, you decided where to go > Strategy

• Second, you decide how to get there > Organization

• Third, you show the way > Leadership

• Fourth, you choose the vehicle > Productivity

That’s how Productivity complements the original 3 musketeers. When I look at what Strategy, Organization, Leadership, and Productivity can help us achieve, I can only see them as inseparable. That’s why I’m constantly learning and developing my expertise in those four areas.

In the future issues of Refresh. Rethink., I intend to provide value on all 4 pillars. I’ll elaborate on each of the areas, aiming to give you actionable insights that can help you turn on the autopilot for your business.

And before we go, I encourage you to ask yourself: How clear is your Strategy? How focused is your Organization? How intentional is your Leadership? And how efficient are your company’s habits, rituals, and practices?

Taking even 5 minutes to think about these things can bring the clarity you seek.

See you next week,

Leon

______________________________________________________________________

👋🏻 I reply to all emails myself, so drop me your questions!

When you're ready, here's how I can help you:

With a one-hour consulting session at no charge, we go deep into Strategy, Organization, Leadership, and Productivity. After the call prepare a personalized report for your business with tips on overcoming the roadblocks that keep you attached to daily operations.