In Defense of Strategy
Execution without strategy is wasteful and tragic. Just as “Companies that have the best products, most talented people, and fastest growth are precisely the ones for which moats are most important,” companies that are the best at execution are precisely the ones for which strategy is most important. They’re the only ones that have a shot.
^ADJ: "The better you are at execution, the faster you can run in any direction. A good strategy helps you run fast in the right direction" great reminder about the importance of strategy.
Some useful reminders in this article:
- how moats and strategy interplay (hint: you need both)
- how strategy helps with dealing with uncertainty
- reference to timeliness book Good Strategy, Bad Strategy - "A strategy is a high-level plan to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty, designed through recognizing the challenge (diagnosis), setting a direction to overcome it (guiding policy), and detailing steps to implement the policy (coherent actions)."
- reference to another favourite book 7 Powers
How to Create Luck
My entire worldview changed when I realized that luck can be created.
^ADJ: Great article to talk to the kids about - luck is about positioning and habits
The 3-Person Unicorn Startup
With the next generation of AI tools, teams of three very talented people will be able to grow software-centric businesses to $100+ million in revenue with automated workflows.
^ADJ: if this doesn't scare you, I don't know what will!
Investing in middle managers pays off—literally
New research shows that having more top-performing middle managers leads to much better financial outcomes. Here are five actions that can set managers and their organizations up for success.
^ADJ: I have been spending time thinking about the right structure to support growth and strategy this week - so this was interesting.
Overcoming Your Fear of Giving Tough Feedback
A lack of constructive feedback is detrimental to your team, depriving them of mentorship and growth opportunities. And workplaces marked by poor communication and unclear expectations are breeding grounds for low trust and disengagement. Giving feedback is essential to being an effective leader. In this article, the author offers five ways to overcome your fear of giving feedback.
^ADJ: Something that I am working on "Feedback should be a regular ritual, not an occasional blast."
Distinguishing constructive criticism from bad business advice
Beware of advice that tries to change who you are. True wisdom guides you to a better version of yourself.
^ADJ: Resonates: "Seek advice that helps you become a better version of yourself, not advice that aims to change who you are."
Cumulative time spent in “vigorous” physical activity lowers mortality risk
Whether the goal is reducing stress or preventing cardiovascular disease, nearly every list of proactive health measures includes exercise. But although exercise is deemed nearly universally beneficial, a lack of time is the most commonly cited barrier to regular physical activity. In my opinion, exercise is the best way to spend your time for your overall health – both in terms of lengthening your life and improving its quality. But if time constraints are putting your workouts on the chopping block, can you reap the benefits of exercise in more frequent, very short durations of high-intensity exercise?