Welcome to the 16th edition of North Star Blueprints! In this weekly newsletter, we embark on a journey of personal and professional growth, offering observations, strategies, and inspiration to help you navigate life’s challenges and reach new heights of success. This edition will provide a summary of the daily insights I posted throughout the week, packed with valuable tips, thought-provoking ideas, and actionable advice on how to lead your teams better, communicate more clearly, protecting your reputation, and starting and finishing your endeavors, in the hopes of helping you to unleash your better self.
June 3: Involve Your Team in Planning
“Doing business without having skin in the game is like playing poker with someone else’s money” – Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The strength of a plan lies not only in its design but in its execution. I’ve learnt that the most effective way to ensure a successful implementation is to involve your team in the planning process. When team members feel that they have contributed to the creation of a plan, their sense of ownership and commitment to its success significantly increases.
Imagine you and your team are planning a project – start by setting up the initial vision but let them do the thinking and talking, as you watch them collaborate, test and challenge some of their ideas when you feel they veer too far off course but don’t overrule them, let them reach the conclusions on their own. Keep managing risk as the plan comes together, guide them towards your vision, but let them get there “on their own”. The finished plan will look like it was completely their own, and in many ways, it is, but it still contains the essence of what you were thinking to do. A plan is executed much better when the team comes up with it, as opposed to just taking commands from you.
As a leader, your role is to facilitate this collaborative environment. Guide your team through the planning process, providing direction and support without overshadowing their contributions. Encourage open dialogue, listen to their ideas, and integrate their feedback into the final plan. By doing so, you not only create a robust and well-rounded plan but also cultivate a team that is engaged, motivated, and ready to bring the plan to life.
Remember, a plan crafted with collective input is more likely to succeed because everyone involved feels responsible for its outcome.
June 4: Simplify to Amplify
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler” – Albert Einstein
The ability to express your ideas is one of the most important skills you can develop. Yet, it’s a skill often overlooked and undervalued. How many times have we witnessed a presenter drone on, losing the audience’s attention amidst a maze of convoluted jargon and unnecessary details? I sat in too many such meetings lately which sparked the idea for this post… exec eyes glaze over, and you lost them. The presenter was very knowledgeable, the team made great progress to report on, the message just never landed with the audience due to poor delivery.
The key to effective communication lies in simplicity:
Know Your Audience: Understand who you’re speaking to and tailor your message accordingly.
Focus on the Message: Strip away the fluff and get straight to the point.
Use Plain Language: Opt for simple, everyday language that resonates with your audience.
Visual Aids: A picture is worth a thousand words, help people visualize when possible.
Practice, Practice, Practice: Good communication is a skill. Whether it’s rehearsing your presentation or engaging in everyday conversations, every opportunity is a chance to refine that skill.
The mark of true mastery is not in how much you can say, but in how effectively you can convey your message.
June 5: Reputation is Everything
We live in a world where trust is the cornerstone of all successful relationships, both personal and professional. Everywhere in our daily lives we see the importance of integrity and reliability in our own communications and commitments as well as those around us.
Therefore, living by the creed that “your word is your bond” can take us very far in life. It emphasizes taking responsibility for your promises and following through, even when challenges arise. In other words, if you promise something, you do it. Period. Keeping your word not only builds trust with others but also strengthens your reputation.
When people know they can rely on your word, they are more likely to respect you, value your input, and seek you out as a trustworthy partner. In essence, your word is a reflection of your character. By honoring it, you demonstrate respect for others as well as yourself.
Remember, after all we humans are social creatures, and our value in society is measured by our reputation – how trustworthy, respected, and loyal we are.
“Trust is earned, respect is given, and loyalty is demonstrated. Betrayal of any one of those is to lose all three.” – Ziad K Abdelnour
It’s not worth it to be greedy over a single transaction. Even if you’re not going to work with that person again. Even if you think word won’t get out. Even if you think this is your one shot to make it. Reputation follows you everywhere. Protect it at all costs, and make sure everything you do impacts it positively.
June 6: Exit Strategies
“Always start at the end before you begin. Professional investors always have an exit strategy before they invest” – Robert Kiyosaki
Having an exit strategy is not just a precaution, it’s a fundamental component of planning. An exit strategy outlines how you intend to withdraw from a business engagement, investment, or project, ensuring that you can do so smoothly and on your own terms. Whether it’s a startup preparing for acquisition, an investor planning to sell their stake, or a consultant concluding a project, an exit strategy provides a clear roadmap for winding down operations, transferring responsibilities, and maximizing value.
We tend to put in so much thinking and effort to enter an opportunity and maintain it, but we often forget to plan for its end. When you’re starting a project do you have a plan on how you will convert it into future business? When you buy a stock (Nvidia anyone?) do you have a sell price in mind? What about a product release – is it a standalone or will it have future upgrades?
By planning the end from the beginning, you can ensure a smooth transition to your next opportunity, and draw very clear boundaries on the scope of your current work. Going in with the expectation that you will figure out the conclusion as you go, is no different than getting on a highway with no destination in mind. Even a rough idea of the end is better than nothing at all, at least you will have some direction to aim at.
In essence, an exit strategy is about foresight and preparedness, enabling you to navigate anything unexpected throughout your journey with confidence and control.
June 7: It’s Not the Strongest, but the Most Adaptable That Survive
As we go into the weekend, I want to take a moment and reflect on how quickly everything around us is changing – the landscape of technology, the economy, politics, and so much more. This same applies to our day to day lives and careers, change is everywhere. It might feel overwhelming, you might feel outmatched, but at the end, success is not determined by strength, intelligence, or wealth alone. Just as in nature, it is typically the most adaptable who thrive.
The ability to pivot in response to changing circumstances, market demands, and unexpected challenges is what truly sets successful individuals and companies apart. Adaptability means being open to new ideas, willing to take calculated risks, and be ready to embrace change. It involves continuous learning and the flexibility to adjust strategies as needed. Adaptability will enable you to navigate uncertainty with confidence, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for growth.
Forget about what you don’t have – you may not have the most resources, the best tools, or the smartest people in your team, but as long as you can stay in tune with the world around you and anticipate how it changes, you will be ahead of everyone else.
“Change is the only constant in life. Ones ability to adapt to those changes will determine your success in life.” – Benjamin Franklin
Thank you for joining me on this journey of growth and discovery. I hope these insights illuminate your path forward as you pursue your aspirations with purpose and determination. See you in next week’s edition!
