You Don’t Get It

Listen up, folks! There’s a whole lot of you out there in the business world who just don’t get it. You’re missing the point, and it’s costing you. Big time.

Unheard truths echo,
In business, losses follow,
Insight, hard to swallow.

Culture Rocks

First up, let’s talk about culture. Not the kind you find in a yogurt, but the kind that permeates every corner of your organization. Culture isn’t just about casual Fridays or the company picnic. It’s about shared values, beliefs, and attitudes. It’s the glue that holds your team together and drives them towards a common goal. Ignore it at your peril.

Culture’s silent pulse,
Invisible yet potent,
Shapes the firm’s heartbeat.

It’s the System, Stupid

Next, you need to understand how the work works. It’s not enough to just do your job. You need to understand the processes, the systems, the mechanics of how things get done. That’s how you find efficiencies, eliminate waste, and improve productivity.

Work’s rhythm, unseen,
In its flow, wisdom gleaned,
In details, truth’s gleaned.

Auftragstaktik

Ever heard of Auftragstaktik? It’s a German military term that means “mission command.” In business, it’s about moving decision-making real close to the front line. It’s about empowering your people to make decisions and take action. It’s about trust and accountability. It’s about getting out of the way and letting your people do what they do best. Some call this self-organising teams, but it’s more, much more, than that.

Auftragstaktik reigns,
Decisions like scattered grains,
Empowerment gains.

Find the Demand

Next: product-market fit. It’s not just a buzzword. It’s about finding the sweet spot where your product meets a market need. If you’re not there, you’re just throwing your time and money into the wind.

Product-market fit,
In the sweet spot, we commit,
Success, bit by bit.

Radical Pivots

And then there’s the pivot. Not the kind you do in basketball, but the kind that can save your business. Markets change. Customers change. If you’re not willing to change with them and go where the demand is, you’re going to rapidly become irrelevant. And out of business.

Pivot, change your stance,
In market’s fickle dance,
Adaptance is chance.

Wake Up!

So wake up, folks! Pay attention to these things. They’re not just buzzwords. They’re the keys to success in business. And if you don’t get that, well, you’re just not getting it.

Awake, heed these words,
Not mere buzz, but success’ birds,
Ignorance affords.

Further Reading

Gerber, M. E. (1995). The E-Myth revisited: Why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it. HarperBusiness.
Winget, L. (2008). People are idiots and I can prove it!: The 10 ways you are sabotaging yourself and how you can overcome them. Gotham Books.
Winget, L. (2007). It’s called work for a reason!: Your success is your own damn fault. Gotham Books.
Bungay, S. (2011). The Art of Action: How Leaders Close the Gaps Between Plans, Actions and Results. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.