Pursuit of the path

The standard model says put your head down and work hard – good things will happen.

The smart model says first work out what you want to do, then plan the path for how to achieve it. Only then should you put your head down and work hard.

But there’s another part … look up from the path whilst you’re on it.

Friedrich Nietzsche once said,

Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.

Ignore the goal in pursuit of the path and it’s likely tactical manoeuvring will get you some place, just not where you wanted to go. The method becomes an end in itself.

Lift your eyes to the horizon and make sure the path is still pointing at the prize.

Skippy Strategy: Next time you gather your team, check that what you agreed would be done is still taking you where you agreed you would go. Trim for direction.

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Category:
Managing