Strategy

“A way to think about it is, innovation requires variation. And in manufacturing—six sigma, all that stuff—you’re trying to reduce variation.

The fundamental manufacturing paradigm is to reduce variation, and the fundamental creative paradigm is to increase it.”

Companies have to hire the best, but that won’t be enough. They’ll also need to rethink how they reskill and upskill their people.

Thus Ikea, the giant home goods retailer, moved from setting out specific goals for a full year to scenarios that allow wiggle room as the outlook changes.

“Simple is nearly always better. But if it’s going to be complicated, then make sure the problem is worth the complexity. A great deal of time is wasted creating complex solutions to relatively unimportant problems.”

The generalist becomes more powerful when they develop a specialty where they can apply their broad insight.

The specialist becomes more powerful when they develop a broader surface area of knowledge to connect with their expertise.

Which side are you favoring right now? Would you benefit from a broader area to apply your already honed skills? Or do ... See more

“The hard way is the fast way.

Do it right the first time and you won’t have to do it over the next time.”

The best way to improve your ability to think is to spend time thinking.

One way to force yourself to slow down and think is to write. Good writing requires good thinking.

Clear writing gives poor thinking nowhere to hide, making a lack of understanding visible.

What happens on the outside is strategy, what happens on the inside is action.