The more static and predictable the world is, the less narrative matters. Historically most businesses followed clear precedents and fit neatly into paths. If starting a restaurant, the potential range of revenue and costs is known. There are few surprises, so it’s easier to look at the current state of the business and know what it will look like ... See more
kwokchain.com • Narrative Distillation - Kwokchain
Alongside all the conventional questions were ones about what to do when the limits of analysis had been reached and the way forward was still not clear; questions about when to move away from an existing competitive advantage and when to try to stay the course; questions about reinventing a business or identifying a new purpose, a new reason to ma
... See moreCynthia Montgomery • The Strategist
Obsolescence A company needs to change its vision when that vision becomes obsolete, preferably before an obsolete vision gets it into trouble.
Michael E. McGrath • Product Strategy for High Technology Companies
They need to carve out some bandwidth to think about the future and future growth potential, while respecting the needs of their existing core business.
Kevin G. Bethune • Reimagining Design: Unlocking Strategic Innovation (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life)
Return to first principles and act quickly on your new conclusions.
It’s very easy to take the world as it is, as opposed to envisioning it as you want it to be. For example, when re-designing a feature, one approach is to take what you have, and imagine small changes that will solve the problems with the feature. Instead, it’s often instructive t
... See moreJoe Lonsdale • Lessons from Peter Thiel
Unnecessary versus necessary chaos
In my 13 years working at startups, I’ve witnessed many examples of unnecessary chaos—here are a few.
A major release has been planned for months, but launch communications—new positioning, website copy, customer email, blog post—are reviewed at the last minute.
A manager reschedules 1:1s every week because of ongoi... See more
In my 13 years working at startups, I’ve witnessed many examples of unnecessary chaos—here are a few.
A major release has been planned for months, but launch communications—new positioning, website copy, customer email, blog post—are reviewed at the last minute.
A manager reschedules 1:1s every week because of ongoi... See more