Date the model but marry the vision
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Strategic leaders are able to look at the big picture and think long term. Exactly how they achieve the strategy can and does change. But they only ever date these models. It’s the vision they are married to.
My dad was a photographer and his studio was at our house. This meant we had a steady stream of models around during my teenage years.
Like most teenagers, I often thought it would be a great idea to hook up with these models. Fast forward though and I end up marrying way out of my league. Winning the marriage lottery made those models a distant memory.
You’re probably wondering how I’m going to turn this admittedly weird intro into a post about business or leadership. I don’t blame you, but bear with me...
I’ve been thinking a lot about something Ed Catmull says in his book about creativity and leadership. I wrote about him a few days ago, he’s the co-founder of Pixar.
Ed talks about the importance of holding lightly to goals but firmly to intensions. It reminds me of a principle I learned while working in the non-profit sector: Date the model but marry the vision.
There really are lots of different ways of working. Many ways to “skin a cat” as the - somewhat horrific - saying goes. But more important is whether you even want to skin the cat! And if so, why?
Whether models vs vision, goals vs intentions or tactics vs principles, these all highlight the importance of having a strategy. Strategic leaders look at the big picture and think long term.
Like most teenagers, I often thought it would be a great idea to hook up with these models. Fast forward though and I end up marrying way out of my league. Winning the marriage lottery made those models a distant memory.
You’re probably wondering how I’m going to turn this admittedly weird intro into a post about business or leadership. I don’t blame you, but bear with me...
I’ve been thinking a lot about something Ed Catmull says in his book about creativity and leadership. I wrote about him a few days ago, he’s the co-founder of Pixar.
Ed talks about the importance of holding lightly to goals but firmly to intensions. It reminds me of a principle I learned while working in the non-profit sector: Date the model but marry the vision.
There really are lots of different ways of working. Many ways to “skin a cat” as the - somewhat horrific - saying goes. But more important is whether you even want to skin the cat! And if so, why?
Whether models vs vision, goals vs intentions or tactics vs principles, these all highlight the importance of having a strategy. Strategic leaders look at the big picture and think long term.