One of the benefits of being a consultant is that you get to see lots of clients try to do something similar over and over again. You develop a sense of what works and what doesn’t. You build mental patterns and algorithms that guide the advice you provide. As a strategy consultant, I’ve seen a lot of strategy developed and lots of companies …
Effectiveness
The 10x Strategy System
Entrepreneurs, like gamblers, make bets every day. They risk their money on labor, product development, advertising, rent, etc., hoping their bets will pay off handsomely. Most of the time, you win a little or lose a little, but sometimes you can win big.However, there is one big difference between the gamblers and the entrepreneur. The gambler …
The Path to Success: 10 Lessons from 150+ Startups
Today, I'm sharing some wisdom about success from 5,000+ ideas, 150+ startups, 50 IPOs/M&A exits, and, perhaps most notably, 60 failures. Bill Gross, the visionary founder behind Idealab, shared this wisdom at a recent conference. Bill has navigated the rollercoaster of innovation over the past 50 years. IMHO, Bill is a brilliant Luck …
Breathing Life Into Strategy
Hey Luck Hackers, In today’s newsletter, I'm revisiting the iconic showdown between Nokia and Apple in the smartphone arena. But this isn't just a story of technological triumphs and missteps. It’s a tale that challenges the simplistic notion of Apple’s brilliance and Nokia’s folly. I'm going to share a story of the triumph of enaction over …
Managing Your Priorities
In a post last week, I asked people to comment on the flawed logic embedded in what's come to be called the Eisenhower Matrix. It should be noted that President Eisenhower probably never used the Eisenhower Matrix, but it has become a favorite for productivity pundits and time management gurus who promote the matrix as a way to help you …
Enactive Leadership – A New Paradigm for Leading Organizations
Picture an orchestra. Each musician is a master in their own right, holding an instrument unique from the others. There is a rhythm in their breaths, a cadence in their postures, all in anticipation of what's to come. Now, picture the conductor stepping onto the stage. The baton rises, and with a simple wave, the beautiful symphony begins. The …
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Complex Enactive Systems – A Better Model of Organizational Dynamics
In recent decades, organizations have often been viewed through the lens of complex adaptive systems (CAS), a perspective that has provided valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of businesses. This model has enabled us to understand organizations as networks of interconnected agents, interacting and adapting to both their internal …
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Real Leaders Don’t Tell Anyone What to Do
The traditional view of leadership is the commander. Commanders give orders, set rules, and direct others. It's a command and control model of leadership based on the idea that people will do the wrong things unless told what to do. However, real leadership is not about telling people what to do. The most effective leaders don't tell anyone what …
Enacting a Better Culture
"If only we had a better culture?" I hear that phrase all too often. You may have said it yourself, but what does it mean? What does a better culture look like? And, more importantly, how can you create a better culture? It all starts with understanding that culture is emergent. It's the experience that emerges at the intersection of …
The Essence of the Theory of Constraints
Over the past couple of months, I have endeavored to capture the core theory underlying the Theory of Constraints (TOC). My goal is to clarify the foundation of TOC and build a better understanding of the dynamics when applied. And perhaps, armed with a deeper understanding, find ways to improve TOC. I started with a prototype of the …