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Steal Like an Artist, but Vet for Burden
Borrowing ideas from others is a great way to innovate, but every creative spark carries an unseen cost. Today we are surrounded by so many different ideas and ways of doing things that deciding what to steal can quickly lead to disorientation instead of clarity. Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist encourages remixing existing work.…
Alignment, Austin Kleon, brand strategy, business growth, business planning, business strategy, content creation, content strategy, creator economy, decision quality, Decision-Making, entrepreneurship, focus, innovation, Leadership & Practice, marketing strategy, personal branding, pre-decision thinking, productivity, resource management, Steal Like an Artist, strategic alignment, Strategic thinking, strategy, sustainable business -
No Amount of Thinking Can Answer a Market Question
Leaders are paid to think. They analyze, forecast, model scenarios, debate options, and refine strategies. Thinking is essential. But there is one question that thinking alone can never answer: Will the market care? That answer doesn’t exist in a boardroom. It exists in the interaction between your idea and reality. You can spend months perfecting…
business growth, business strategy, continuous learning, customer insights, Decision-Making, entrepreneurship, evidence based management, innovation, Leadership & Practice, market validation, organizational leadership, strategic alignment, Strategic Alignment Journal, Strategic thinking, test and learn -
What truths has your organization become unable to hear?
Every organization depends on information flowing upward. Customers complain. Processes break. Risks emerge. Frontline employees notice inefficiencies long before they are likely to appear on a management report. The quality of leadership decisions is directly tied to the quality of information leaders receive. When people stop speaking honestly, reality becomes filtered. Leaders begin making decisions…
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Should is a Judgment. Could is an Opportunity
There’s a small linguistic trapdoor that most leaders fall through without noticing. It’s tucked inside two tiny words that shape entire days, teams, and decisions. Should.Could. One shuts the room.The other opens it. Should is the quiet judge at the back of the boardroom. It carries the weight of expectation, obligation, invisible rulebooks written by…
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Before you could bend or break, you need to first know the rules
The phrase “know the rules before you bend or break them” is a popular piece of advice often attributed to artist Pablo Picasso, who said: Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist This phrase isn’t an invitation to rebellion for rebellion’s sake. It’s a reminder that real innovation is born…
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Thought Experiment: What if I Developed a Michelin for Business
We’re familiar with Michelin as an award — revered, feared, and respected in the culinary world. But before it was a badge of honour, it was a book. And before it was a book, it was a strategy. A Roadmap, Not a Rating The Michelin Guide was born in 1900 — not in a kitchen,…
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If You Want to Improve, Be Content to Be Thought Foolish and Stupid.
Being extremely self-aware can be quietly exhausting. You start monitoring every word, every tone, every gesture — not out of mindfulness, but survival. You wonder, Will this be received well? Will it upset them? And if it does, you spiral into self-questioning: What did I do wrong? How can I make sure this never happens…
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Creativity: The Work We Resist
We live in a culture obsessed with innovation. Leaders and consultants toss the word around like it’s a commodity — something you can buy off the shelf if you just hire the right people or invest in the right tech. Satya Nadella captured this sentiment perfectly when he said: “What the world rewards most is…
Get Clarity before the Fix
