A lot of early-stage startups that I meet want to talk about their exit strategy. They spend a lot of time figuring out how to build a company that they can sell for a good price. If exit is your goal (and remember it may not be the only way to build something that meets […]
Purpose
Profit or purpose first
You’ve seen a lot about how purpose is good for profit. It can be. Sometimes it’s not. But regardless, pursuing purpose on that basis is a dangerous road to go down. The more we talk about companies needing to lead with purpose and values because this is more profitable (which I hear A LOT) – […]
Motivation by KPI
One of the dangers of our increasingly digital and data-driven world is when managers are encouraged to overuse data. This is especially pernicious for new and upcoming managers, as data becomes a crutch for them to lean on. It robs them of the hard work and opportunity to manage through judgement, through critical thought, through […]
Don’t be cynical about leaders with purpose
There are 2 ways leaders come to lead their business with purpose. Some start their business with a view to serving a greater goal. Others create their purpose as they discover more about the business that they are leading. Both approaches are valid. However, those leaders who grow purpose rather than starting with it can […]
Start with Why Sells
The coaching industry is awash with pseudo-Sineks* telling you to Start With Why. The challenge is that most of them don’t tell you anything of substance beyond the Why. It’s as if the job’s done once you’ve got your Why. And there’s good reason for that. It’s a lot easier to sell people on a […]