Have you ever wondered why some people seem to effortlessly turn their dreams into reality while others remain perpetually stuck in the planning phase? Bernard Roth’s “The Achievement Habit: Stop Wishing, Start Doing, and Take Command of Your Life” offers a refreshingly honest answer: achievement isn’t about having the best ideas or the most talent, it’s about developing the right habits and taking consistent action.
The Core Message: Achievement Is a Learnable Skill
Roth, a Stanford professor and co-founder of the renowned d.school, brings decades of design thinking expertise to personal development. His central thesis is revolutionary in its simplicity: achievement is a habit that can be learned, practiced, and strengthened like a muscle. Drawing from real student transformations in his Stanford class “The Designer in Society,” Roth demonstrates that the same design thinking principles used to solve complex organizational problems can redesign your entire life.
The book’s power lies in its practical approach. Rather than offering feel-good platitudes, Roth presents a systematic method for breaking through self-imposed limitations and creating lasting change.
Three Game-Changing Takeaways
1. Your Perspective Creates Your Reality
One of the book’s most profound insights is that meaning is entirely subjective—we assign significance to everything in our lives, and these assignments shape our actions and outcomes. Roth argues that changing how you label and view situations can unlock creativity and positive transformation.
This isn’t just positive thinking; it’s strategic reframing. When you recognize that your interpretation of events—not the events themselves—determines your response, you gain tremendous power to change your experience. The practical exercise here is simple but transformative: regularly question your assumptions and consciously relabel familiar situations to open new possibilities.
2. Reasons Are Just Sophisticated Excuses
Perhaps the book’s most controversial chapter tackles our relationship with excuses. Roth boldly states that most reasons we give for our actions are simply sophisticated excuses designed to protect our self-image. While this might sound harsh, it’s liberating once you embrace it.
The author isn’t advocating for social rudeness, externally, reasons may still be necessary. But internally, questioning every reason forces honest self-assessment. If something truly matters to you, your actions should reflect that priority without elaborate justification. This shift from explanation to action is where real change begins.
3. Doing Beats Trying Every Time
The distinction between “trying” and “doing” runs throughout the book like a golden thread. Roth emphasizes that real achievement comes only through committed action, not good intentions or endless discussions. There’s a fundamental difference between someone who says “I’ll try to exercise” and someone who simply exercises.
This connects to his advocacy for prototyping, taking small, experimental steps to build momentum. Rather than waiting for the perfect plan, start with imperfect action. Small wins build confidence and break the inertia that keeps most people stuck in perpetual preparation mode.
Why This Book needs recommendation?
In our age of endless information and analysis paralysis, “The Achievement Habit” offers a refreshing antidote. Roth’s background in design thinking brings practical structure to personal development, moving beyond motivation to methodology. The book doesn’t just inspire—it instructs.
What makes this particularly relevant is how Roth addresses modern challenges like overthinking, perfectionism, and the tendency to substitute planning for action. His emphasis on collaboration and asking for help counters our increasingly isolated approach to personal growth.
The Bottom Line
“The Achievement Habit” succeeds because it treats personal development as a design problem rather than a motivation issue. Roth shows that achievement isn’t about having the right personality or waiting for inspiration, it’s about building systems and habits that consistently move you forward. The book’s real strength lies in its integration of mindset shifts with practical action. It’s not enough to change how you think; you must change what you do. And it’s not enough to take random action; you must align that action with an empowering self-image and clear purpose.
If you’re tired of books that make you feel good but don’t create lasting change, “The Achievement Habit” offers something different: a proven framework for turning intentions into results. Roth’s message is both challenging and hopeful, you have more control over your outcomes than you think, but only if you’re willing to stop making excuses and start taking consistent action.
The question isn’t whether you can achieve more in your life. The question is whether you’re ready to make achievement a habit.
When What Comes to Mind Isn’t What Matters: Availability Bias in Daily Life
We all make dozens of decisions every day, from what to eat for breakfast to how to approach a work project. But how rational are these choices? Cognitive psychologists have identified numerous biases that influence our thinking, and one of the most pervasive is availability bias: our tendency to overweight information that easily comes to mind.
What is Availability Bias?
Availability bias occurs when we base judgments on information that’s mentally “available”, examples that easily come to mind because they’re recent, emotional, or vivid, rather than on complete data or statistics.
As Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman noted, “The mind overestimates unlikely events that are easy to recall.” This bias affects everyone from consumers to CEOs, subtly shaping decisions in ways we rarely notice.
Few Examples from India and Abroad
Manufacturing Safety Decisions
In 2019, after a dramatic machinery accident at a textile factory in Tirupur received significant media coverage, many Indian textile manufacturers invested heavily in that specific type of machine safety equipment. However, data from the Directorate General Factory Advice Service showed that more common hazards like improper material handling caused 58% of factory injuries that year, while machinery accidents accounted for only 14%.
Travel Fears vs. Reality
After Air India Express Flight 1344 crashed in August 2020 during the pandemic, many Indian travelers expressed increased anxiety about flying. Meanwhile, National Crime Records Bureau statistics showed that road accidents in India claimed over 150,000 lives that same year—making car travel approximately 1,000 times more dangerous per kilometer traveled than flying.
Consumer Product Perceptions
When a major smartphone battery defect made international headlines in 2016, consumers worldwide became hyper-aware of potential battery issues. A 2017 survey by the Consumer Electronics Association found 74% of respondents listed battery safety as a top concern when purchasing a new phone, despite the actual failure rate being less than 0.01% of devices.
How This Bias Shapes Our World
Medical Decisions
A study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research found that patients were significantly more likely to reject a treatment if they personally knew someone who had experienced a rare side effect. This occurred even when presented with statistics showing the treatment’s overwhelming benefits for most patients.
Investment Behavior
When the Indian stock market experienced a sharp correction in early 2022, many retail investors pulled their money out, fearing another major crash like 2008. However, historical data from the Bombay Stock Exchange shows that staying invested through downturns has consistently produced better returns than trying to time market exits and entries.
Overcoming Availability Bias
Seek Statistical Context
When a story grabs your attention, actively look for statistics that put it in context. Is this dramatic event representative or an outlier?
Diversify Information Sources
Consuming varied information sources helps provide a more balanced view of reality. Look beyond trending stories to understand what issues might be important but less visible.
Keep a Decision Journal
Recording your decisions and their outcomes helps identify patterns where availability bias might be influencing your choices. Many successful business leaders in both India and internationally credit this practice with improving their decision quality.
Ask the “Base Rate” Question
When evaluating a situation, ask: “How common is this generally?” For example, before panicking about a medical symptom featured in a news story, check how frequently it actually occurs in the population.
The Path Forward
Availability bias isn’t something we can eliminate, it’s hardwired into how our brains work. However, awareness of this bias can help us pause and consider whether our intuitive judgments might be skewed by what easily comes to mind rather than what actually matters.
By balancing vivid stories with statistical context, we can make decisions that better reflect reality rather than merely what’s most available in our memory.
The next time a dramatic story influences your thinking, ask yourself: Is this truly representative, or simply what comes to mind most easily?
Leadership is a widely discussed topic, also one of the favoured topic of mine to read and write. And again and again I came across more or less same question, what truly defines a “good leader”? I recently came across a thought-provoking question that captures a common debate:
A. A good leader expects people to decide for themselves what they should do.
B. A good leader makes it clear to everybody what their jobs are
PS: I was taking survey made by Sejal Waghmare at TheVibrantAura
Both statements present unique perspectives on leadership, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. I would like to discuss how these ideas can influence team productivity and promote human-centric work environments..
Option A: Empowering Independence
Leaders who allow team members to decide for themselves foster autonomy, trust, and innovation. This approach taps into intrinsic motivation—when people have ownership over their work, they’re often more engaged and creative. It’s especially effective in environments where flexibility and adaptability are valued.
However, too much autonomy without guidance can lead to confusion, misaligned priorities, and duplicated efforts. Not everyone feels comfortable making decisions without a framework, especially new or less confident team members.
Option B: Providing Clear Direction
On the other hand, leaders who clarify roles and responsibilities help ensure alignment, accountability, and efficiency. When everyone knows what’s expected, teams can focus, collaborate more smoothly, and avoid wasted time or misunderstandings. This style supports productivity, especially in high-pressure or complex situations.
But there’s a downside: if directions are too rigid or prescriptive, team members may feel micromanaged or stifled, leading to disengagement and missed opportunities for innovation.
Finding the Balance: Human-Centric Leadership
The most effective leaders balance both approaches. They provide clarity about goals, roles, and expectations while encouraging team members to use their judgment and creativity within that framework. This balance empowers individuals and drives productivity, while also fostering trust, engagement, and growth.
The key is clarity, which requires excellent communication skills and empathy when conveying information to the individual.
Leaders who aspire to lead a successful team, needs to get him self clarified first when it comes to expectations and deliverables.
Deliverables can be effectively defined using various tools such as the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). However, setting expectations requires more than just defining deliverables; it demands a clear and detailed job description along with a well-articulated objective for the role. Only with this clarity can alignment between individual performance and organizational goals be ensured.
Often, team members are unable to see how their roles contribute to the organization’s broader goals. When this connection is clearly communicated, it significantly enhances both motivation and alignment. A clear line of sight between individual responsibilities and organizational outcomes fosters a stronger sense of purpose and accountability.
Parting insights 💭
A good leader doesn’t choose between clear direction and empowering autonomy—they blend both to bring out the best in their teams. By doing so, they create environments where people know what to do, feel trusted to make decisions, and are motivated to excel.
Work isn’t just about tasks and deadlines—it’s where we invest a part of ourselves. We show up with passion, put in long hours, and build relationships that go beyond professional courtesy. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, things don’t work out the way we hope. Maybe the project you poured months into is suddenly shelved, or the promotion you worked for goes to someone else or never comes. Perhaps a mentor you relied on moves on without a word, or you realize that the workplace you once admired isn’t as supportive as you believed. It stings. It feels personal. That’s workplace heartbreak. We may recognize it as ‘Frustration and Cynicism’ or as ‘demotivating’ or sometime ‘Burn-out’ but all these are due to one single root cause ‘Heartbreak’.
More I think about this, the more it makes sense—heartbreak is something we all experience at some point in life. It might come from a lost relationship, a beloved friend drifting away, or an unfulfilled partnership we invested in wholeheartedly. At its core, heartbreak is about expectation meeting disappointment. And if we really think about it, the emotions we associate with workplace burnout or a demotivating environment feel eerily similar. The sense of loss, the exhaustion, the questioning of what went wrong—it’s not just professional, it’s deeply human
The Weight of Workplace Heartbreak
It’s funny how we rarely talk about it in these terms. We expect heartbreak in relationships, but not in the spaces where we build careers. Yet, the pain of being unrecognized, undervalued, or left behind can be just as deep. You might feel drained, questioning why you even care so much. Tasks that once excited you now feel meaningless. Frustration builds, cynicism creeps in, and before you know it, you’re withdrawing—from colleagues, from opportunities, from the very work that used to energize you. Some people react by burning out, some by moving on abruptly, and others by simply going through the motions, stuck in a job that no longer feels like home.
Sometimes, the hardest lessons come from the biggest disappointments. But in those moments, we also find the strength to redefine our path.
Finding a Way Through
If any of this resonates, know that you’re not alone. It’s okay to feel hurt, to acknowledge that something meaningful didn’t pan out the way you wanted. Let yourself grieve the loss of what could have been. Talk to someone who gets it—a trusted colleague, a friend, a mentor, or reach out to your psychologist. Say it out loud instead of letting it sit heavy in your chest.
And then, when you’re ready, try to shift the narrative. Disappointments, as painful as they are, often hold lessons. Maybe this is a signal to reassess what truly matters to you. Maybe it’s an opportunity to explore a new skill, take on a fresh challenge, or even consider a different path. The road ahead might look different than you imagined, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth walking.
Growth Beyond Heartbreak
If nothing else, know that this feeling won’t last forever. The sting will fade, the lessons will settle, and you’ll find yourself moving forward with a clearer sense of what you want. Heartbreak—whether in life or in work—isn’t the end. It’s just a turning point, a moment to pause, reflect, and eventually, begin again.
You can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you rise from it.
I’m sure you came across these emotions, do let all of us know, if you have better way to coupe with this heart break!
2024 has been a transformative year for me, not only because of my transition to a new role and other aspects, but also due to the personal growth I’ve experienced through reading. In this blog, I’ll reflect on how the books I’ve read fit into different aspects of my life using the “Wheel of Life” framework, helping me stay balanced and focused on what truly matters.
It’s unbalanced wheel for sure, nonetheless, lots of learning. And a lighthouse for next year, with focus on more balanced reading
Career: Growth Through Leadership and Project Management This year, I delved deep into books that enhanced my professional skills. Dare to Lead and The Infinite Game helped me become a more authentic leader. Learning about vulnerability and long-term vision reshaped how I approach both my team and strategic decisions. Critical Chain Project Management also provided essential tools for streamlining our projects, while Never Split the Difference honed my negotiation skills.
Finances: Shaping My Money Mindset I found new perspectives on wealth and finance in books like Same as Ever and The Unsold Mindset. These works have not only expanded my financial literacy but also taught me about value creation, understanding the sales process, and the importance of patience and long-term thinking.
Relationships: Understanding and Managing Emotions Books such as High Conflict and Emotional Agility have had a profound impact on my relationships. They’ve provided me with strategies to manage conflict, foster empathy, and navigate the emotional complexity of personal and professional connections.
Health: Prioritizing Well-Being Health has always been a priority, but books like Outlive and Feel-Good Productivity reinforced that true productivity stems from a place of physical and mental well-being. Escaping the Emotional Roller Coaster helped me learn emotional regulation, keeping me centered in both work and life.
Personal Growth: Learning to Finish and Simplify In the realm of personal growth, How to Finish Everything You Start and Essentialism stood out. These books encouraged me to prioritize tasks that matter and finish what I begin, all while simplifying my life to focus on the essentials. Seeing Around Corners gave me the tools to think about the future, while A New Way To Think inspired me to rethink my decision-making process.
Spirituality: Finding Peace and Purpose Reading When Breath Becomes Air was a deeply moving experience that reminded me of life’s fragility. It encouraged me to reflect on the importance of purpose, especially in the face of life’s inevitable challenges. Rumi’s Little Book of Life provided additional spiritual insights that grounded me through difficult moments.
Fun & Recreation: Escaping into Fiction Sometimes, the best way to learn and grow is through fiction. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida and Remarkably Bright Creatures offered the perfect balance of entertainment and reflection. These stories not only entertained but also challenged my thinking in profound ways.
Physical Environment: Exploring New Realms Finally, The Space Between Worlds and The Creative Act helped me explore new ways to interact with my environment, be it physical or creative. These books encouraged me to embrace change and think creatively about how I engage with the world around me.
Let me detailed out these books with each category
1. Career
Books in this category focus on professional development, leadership, and skills.
Critical Chain Project Management by Lawrence – Project management strategies for optimizing time and resources.
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss – Negotiation skills that are crucial for high-stakes professional settings.
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown – Leadership skills, particularly around vulnerability and courage.
The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek – Perspective on leadership as a long-term commitment, not just achieving immediate goals.
Collaborating with the Enemy by Adam Kahane – Insights on collaboration, even with those you disagree with, in professional environments.
2. Finances
Books in this category provide insights into financial literacy, wealth-building, and decision-making.
Same as Ever by Morgan Housel – A deep dive into personal finance and investment philosophy.
The Unsold Mindset by Colin Coggins – Insights into sales, value perception, and understanding financial impact in the marketplace.
3. Relationships
This category focuses on books that explore personal connections, emotional intelligence, and social dynamics.
High Conflict by Amanda Ripley – Understanding how to manage and resolve conflicts in both personal and professional relationships.
Emotional Agility by Susan David – A guide to managing emotions in relationships, both with others and within oneself.
The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander – Ways to transform relationships and see new possibilities in personal interactions.
4. Health
These books focus on mental and physical well-being, fitness, and holistic health.
Outlive by Peter Attia – Comprehensive health advice aimed at longevity.
Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal – Productivity tips that emphasize balance and well-being.
Escaping the Emotional Roller Coaster by Patricia Zurita Ona – Emotional regulation and managing mental health.
5. Personal Growth
Books in this category encourage personal development, self-improvement, and mental clarity.
How to Finish Everything You Start by Jan Yager – A guide on staying committed and achieving personal goals.
Essentialism by Greg McKeown – A focus on simplifying life and prioritizing what matters.
Seeing Around Corners by Rita McGrath – Anticipating change and preparing for future challenges.
Rumi’s Little Book of Life by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad – Wisdom on personal reflection and growth through spirituality.
A New Way To Think by Roger L. Martin – Encouraging the use of innovative thinking in decision-making and problem-solving.
6. Spirituality
This category involves books that provide insight into the soul, higher purpose, or deeper understanding of life.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi – A reflection on life, death, and the meaning of existence.
Rumi’s Little Book of Life by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad – A collection of spiritual wisdom for self-reflection and peace.
Khilli by P.L. Deshpande – Spiritual exploration through literature and storytelling.
7. Fun & Recreation
Books that focus on entertainment, creativity, and relaxation.
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida – A compelling fictional journey through the afterlife, combining mystery and cultural insights.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt – A charming and whimsical story that balances fun with profound themes.
8. Physical Environment
Books related to improving or understanding your environment, either in a physical, organizational, or technological sense.
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson – A fictional exploration of alternate realities, touching on physical and societal environments.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin – Inspires creativity in all aspects of life, including one’s environment.
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin – Explores cosmic environments and the impact of scientific and technological changes on civilizations.
As I look back on 2024, it’s clear that books have played an integral role in my journey across all aspects of life. From improving my leadership skills to deepening my spiritual understanding, the diverse range of books I’ve read has been a source of constant growth. I look forward to continuing this journey in 2025 with more balanced wheel, with new lessons and new books to guide me.
When it comes to new ideas and innovations from the team, the ultimate bottleneck is management. Their time and interest define whether the ideas are going to see the light of day! And as usual, words drown in various biases, and a billion-dollar idea will be killed without even realising its potential, just because the manager could not agree or find time to “rethink” his objections. Clearly, it’s not a new issue.
When iPhone peaches to Steve Jobs, he ridiculed it initially, believing that a mobile phone should focus on essential functions rather than extravagant features. It was he who was thinking differently while reviving Apple and avoiding bankruptcy, ultimately leading to the creation of the revolutionary iPod, which transformed how the world consumed music. However, it was his ingenious team, fueled by innovation and creativity, who dared to think again and found a compelling use case for the iPod as a phone. They envisioned a seamless integration of music, communication, and internet capabilities within a single device, thus paving the way for what would become the iPhone and revolutionizing the entire smartphone industry in the process. Through their collaborative efforts, they not only changed the way individuals interacted with technology but also set a new standard for what a mobile device could achieve in our daily lives.
For sure, each successful enterprise has an innovative founder, however it’s the team who make the enterprise succeed again and again and give the edge.
The book “Think Again” by Adam Grant, discusses the importance of rethinking and unlearning in a changing world. It emphasizes the value of being open to changing one’s mind and embracing doubt. Confidence combined with humility leads to better rethinking and learning. Challenging our own beliefs and seeking new perspectives can improve decision-making. Encouraging others to question their assumptions can lead to more open-minded conversations.
🦾 Modes of Thinking
It’s important to recognise the mode that we operate in while discussing an idea with someone. Especially when the ideas is not belongs to us, but we are the decision makers. The three modes quoted in the books are preachers, prosecutors, and politicians.
In each of these modes, we take on a particular identity and use a distinct set of tools. We go into preacher mode when our sacred beliefs are in jeopardy: we deliver sermons to protect and promote our ideals. We enter prosecutor mode when we recognize flaws in other people’s reasoning: we marshal arguments to prove them wrong and win our case. We shift into politician mode when we’re seeking to win over an audience: we campaign and lobby for the approval of our constituents. The risk is that we become so wrapped up in preaching that we’re right, prosecuting others who are wrong, and politicking for support that we don’t bother to rethink our own views.
🔬 One more mode “Scientists” mode
The mode which emphasis on questions everything is called as Scientist mode. For sure, it’s a methodology which researchers are trained to use, it’s not limited to white lab coats. This mode comes to action when we are in search of truth. The way to operate this mode is build the hypothesis, which you like to make it happen, and test this hypothesis by discovering knowledge.
The biggest hurdle of using Scientist mode is “ego”, and “we have done everything in past” a status quo bias.
✋Status quo bias
This cognitive bias leads people to prefer maintaining current practices or traditional methods, often resisting changes or new approaches. It’s driven by a comfort with the familiar and a perception that past methods are inherently safer or more effective.
In organizational settings, this bias can hinder innovation, as it causes people to dismiss new ideas by overvaluing past successes. Another related concept is sunk cost fallacy, where past investments in a particular approach make people reluctant to abandon it, even if it’s no longer the best option.
⁉️ How to “Think Again”?
It’s all really come down to acknowledging that we are prone to these biases, and overcoming this will truly bring innovations to organisation and will sustain growth long term. Few practices mentioned below, which I believed from my experience are really helpful. Also few of them are also aligned to over all theme of “Think Again” practice mentioned by Adam Grant.
1. Embrace a Scientist Mindset: Approach ideas like a scientist rather than a preacher, prosecutor, or politician. This involves forming hypotheses, experimenting, and being willing to change beliefs based on new evidence, which can help challenge assumptions about past practices.
2. Rethink Familiar Practices: Grant suggests actively questioning the effectiveness of familiar practices and regularly asking, “What if we tried a different approach?” This helps counter the comfort of “we’ve always done it this way.”
3. Encourage Intellectual Humility: Recognize that being wrong is a natural part of learning. Leaders can set an example by admitting mistakes and valuing learning over being right, which encourages others to embrace new ideas and reduce reliance on the past.
4. Seek Diverse Perspectives: Invite input from people outside the usual circle who may offer fresh viewpoints. This approach helps expose blind spots and reduces the tendency to default to what’s been done before.
5. Focus on Small Wins: Trying small, low-stakes experiments with new ideas can make people more open to change. These incremental steps help build confidence in different approaches without overwhelming the organization.
🔖 Summary
The approach of “Think again” and “Think Different” is a practice which make us pause before getting overwhelmed by the newness of the idea.
A pause and change in perception will bring the focus back to this question of how to think differently and think again, for the concept which we may think not worth of our time.
Management being ultimate gate keeper of the funds and resources, are the responsible ones who should practice “Think Again” and allow team to “Think differently”.
I hope this small blog will bring some insights and will help you “Think Differently”
The three processes—people, strategy, and operations— remain the building blocks and heart of good execution. But as the economic, political, and business environments change, the ways in which they are carried out also change.”
Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan, Charles Burck
Change vs. Inertia
Change or not change, that’s the constant tug of war an organization faces. Change being only constant, and our love of inertia (why to change), leads to this war within each organization. A successful company becomes successful, by knowing customer better than its competition, but then same company faces competition to safeguard its turf due to its ‘belief’ that they know customer! Customers are more prone to change, and they have fewer option to avoid it, and the organization which constantly tap such changes in customer’s expectations make it sustain and bloom constantly!
Recently I read book “Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done”
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan emphasizes the importance of executing strategies effectively to drive success in any organization. The book argues that many companies fail, not due to a lack of vision, but due to a failure in execution. It breaks down execution into three main processes: people, strategy, and operations. The authors highlight the role of strong leadership in establishing a culture of accountability, aligning the right people with the right tasks, and maintaining a rigorous focus on the practical steps needed to reach goals. The book provides actionable advice for leaders to ensure that plans turn into results by consistently focusing on follow-through and engagement at all levels of the organization.
⁉️ The Question
With such challenges, the book help answer following three questions, these aspects not only enable a faster change but also help us being more dynamic and adaptive to constantly changing environment.
How can executives effectively bridge the gap between high-level strategic decisions and the day-to-day choices made by employees at the front lines of the organization?
In what ways can traditional strategic planning methods be reimagined to foster more creativity and innovation within a business?
What role does fear of change play in preventing organizations from adopting new strategies, and how can this fear be mitigated to encourage more effective decision-making?
The thing is not always what we assume it is. Often, we get in our own way when solving problems with a new way of thinking, because we’re afraid it won’t yield better results than the tried-and-true methods of yesterday! We need a framework for thinking through the most common problems with a new lens on what might work to bring about the most effective, long-term solution
👂Where is the competition, who is listening?
In business, where competition is between products rather than companies, the line of sight between a CEO’s decisions and whether a customer will buy a product at any given time is much less clear. The individual outcomes of customers’ decisions are far from easy for executives seating in head office, removed from the front line, to predict and control.
If the judge of the value of any product or service is the customer who chooses to buy, not the provider, then it is the provider’s (Company’s) people at the front line, in front of the customer, who are best placed to determine what the customer values. It is up to the rest of the company to help the people in the front lines, where the revenues come in, to satisfy those customer needs. The lower level, in effect, is the customer of the level above it. And like a customer, it should expect to get more value from those services than it pays to get them.
Companies should build Cumulative advantage as the layer on its initial competitive advantage by making its product or service an ever more instinctively comfortable choice for the customer. Focus on helping customer make easy choice over making the product a habit.
🎲 Customers are beyond Rationality
The common belief about competitive advantage is that successful companies choose a position, focus on certain consumers, and design activities to serve them better. The aim is to get customers to buy again by matching the value offered to their needs. By creating unique and personalized experiences, the company can maintain a competitive edge. This way of thinking assumes that consumers make careful and logical decisions. Although emotions may play a role in buying, many times these decisions come from a conscious thought process. A good strategy understands and responds to this thought process. However, research in behavioural psychology suggests that buying decisions aren’t always made consciously. Our brains work more like machines that fill in gaps: they take incomplete information and quickly complete it using past experiences. This fast thinking, known as intuition, includes thoughts and feelings that come to mind quickly and strongly influence our actions. It’s not just what we remember that shapes our quick judgments but also how easy and fast we can remember it. When we decide based on what “feels right,” it usually means our thinking process was smooth and effortless. Hence, one reason people often choose the leading product is simply that it is the easiest option available, as it stands out in the shopping environment.
😶 Customer Loyalty – Never take it for granted!
If consumers are slaves of habit, it’s hard to argue that they are “loyal” customers in the sense that they consciously attach themselves to a brand on the assumption that it meets rational or emotional needs. In fact, customers are much more fickle than many marketers assume: often the brands that are believed to depend on loyal customers achieve the lowest loyalty scores. So why do fringe brands like local competition survive? The answer, perhaps perversely, is that with big-brand loyalty rates at 50 percent, just enough customers will buy small brands from time to time to keep the latter in business. But the small brands can’t overcome the familiarity barrier, and although entirely new brands do enter categories and become leaders, it is extremely rare for an established fringe brand to successfully take on an established leader.
🫀Strategy not for faint hearted
Strategic planning often gets bogged down in numbers and analysis. This creates a sense of scientific rigor, but it can also lead to a lack of creativity. Many managers find that the annual planning process is time-consuming and doesn’t produce truly innovative strategies.
To break this pattern, we need to shift our thinking. As the saying goes, “In strategy, what counts is what would have to be true—not what is true.” Developing a winning strategy is like creating and testing scientific hypotheses. It involves imagining a new reality where our ideas would work and then figuring out what needs to change to make that happen. This creative process is just as important as the analytical one.
Few steps one can follow for such strategy building: A Possibility Based Approach
Move from Issue to Choice: Conventional strategy-making tends to focus on problems or issues, such as declining profits or market share. As long as this is the case, the organization will fall into the trap of investigating data related to the issues rather than exploring and testing possible solutions.
Generate Strategic Possibilities: Constructing strategic possibilities, especially ones that are genuinely new, is the ultimate creative act in business. To generate such creative options, you need a clear idea of what constitutes a possibility. You also need an imaginative yet grounded team and a robust process for managing debate.
Specify the Conditions for Success: The purpose of this step is to specify what must be true for each possibility to be a terrific choice. Note that this step is not intended for arguing about what is true. It is not intended to explore or assess the soundness of the logic behind the various possibilities or to consider data that may or may not support the logic—that comes later.
Identify the Barriers to Choice: Now it’s time to cast a critical eye on the conditions. The task is to assess which ones you believe are least likely to hold true. They will define the barriers to choosing that possibility.
Design Tests for the Barrier Conditions : Once you’ve identified and ordered the key barrier conditions, the group must test each one to see whether it holds true. The test might involve surveying a thousand customers or speaking to a single supplier. It might entail crunching thousands of numbers or avoiding any quantifiers at all. The only requirement is that the entire group believe that the test is valid and can form the basis for rejecting the possibility in question or generating commitment to it.
Conduct the Tests: Typically, at this step you bring in people from outside the strategy team—consultants or experts in relevant functional or geographic units who can help fine-tune and conduct the tests you have prioritized.
Make the Choice: In traditional strategy-making, finally choosing a strategy can be difficult and acrimonious. The decision makers usually go off-site and try to frame their binders of much-discussed market research as strategic options. With the stakes high and the logic for each option never clearly articulated, such meetings often end up as negotiations between powerful executives with strong preconceptions. And once the meetings are concluded, those who are skeptical of the decision begin to undermine it. With the possibilities-based approach, the choice-making step becomes simple, even anticlimactic. The group needs only to review the analytical test results and choose the possibility that faces the fewest serious barriers.
Summary 🔖
It’s a new model, introduced in the ongoing dialogue about the existing frameworks we rely upon to enhance the effectiveness of our strategies. The essence of this discourse revolves around a fundamental truth: you are the master of your models. It’s vital to understand that if you find yourself constantly attributing failures to your model while simultaneously striving to harness its potential, then, inadvertently, you have granted it a monopoly over your thought processes. This situation creates a paradox where the model, rather than serving you, becomes an oppressive force, dictating your decisions and stifling creativity.
Imagine this scenario: you enter into an agreement with a model, believing it has the keys to success. You attempt to optimize your connection with it, tweaking here and there, but the results remain disappointing. Each setback chips away at your confidence, leading to a self-blame spiral. You question your abilities, thinking you simply have not mastered the model’s intricacies. This is a dangerous mindset; it breeds dependency and diminishes your agency.
In contrast, if you adopt an empowered position and hold your model accountable for its outputs, you take the reins of your intellectual journey. You evaluate its effectiveness in delivering the promised results consistently. When you find it lacking, instead of forcing it to work for you, you make the courageous decision to discard it and seek out better alternatives. It’s an exercise in discernment and strategic thinking—embracing flexibility and adaptability rather than a rigid adherence to a failing system. If a model does not meet your needs or align with your goals, there’s no shame in letting it go. After all, your primary objective is to cultivate strategies that genuinely foster growth and drive success, not to be shackled by ineffective tools. Embrace the autonomy of ownership over your models, ensuring they serve your aspirations effectively rather than the other way around.
In the realm of possibility, we gain our knowledge by invention
“The Art of Possibility” by Rosamund Stone Zander explores the idea of embracing a universe of potential beyond traditional limits. It encourages readers to shift their mindset from scarcity to abundance, fostering creativity and connection. The book shares personal stories and insights from various fields like art and music. It emphasizes the power of collaboration and the impact of each individual’s actions. Overall, it inspires a transformative approach to life and relationships.
🛣️Approach if this book
The book helps answer few thought-provoking questions,
How can the practices of acceptance and harmony, transform our approach to challenges in a competitive culture?
In what ways can the experiences shared in the document illustrate the idea that leadership is a gift rather than a responsibility?
How does the concept of viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth reshape our understanding of success and creativity?
📌Book Summary – Mind map
The books cover 12 Practices to make new possibilities happen, to avoid routine and make us more innovative and productive. Those practices are summarized in mind map above. A small summary below
Practice 1: Its all Invented : Seeing with New Eyes: Look at the world with curiosity and wonder, rather than judgment.
Practice 2: Stepping in Universe of Possibilities: Giving and Receiving: Embrace the power of giving without expectation and receiving with gratitude.
Practice 3: Giving an A: Choosing Again and Again: Recognize that you have the power to choose your perspective and actions.
Practice 4: Being a Contributor : Listening from the Inside Out: Listen to others with empathy and understanding, connecting deeply.
Practice 5: Leading from Any chair, the Inside Out: Lead with inspiration and authenticity, empowering others.
Practice 6: Rule No. 6: Creating a World of Possibilities: Imagine and create a future filled with hope and opportunity.
Practice 7: The Way things are : Embracing the Paradox: Recognize that life is full of contradictions and embrace the beauty of duality.
Practice 8: Giving Way to Passion : Playing at the Edge of Knowing: Step outside of your comfort zone and explore new possibilities.
Practice 9: Lightening the Spark : Telling Stories: Shape your reality through the stories you tell yourself and others.
Practice 10: Being the Board : Embracing the Whole: Recognize the interconnectedness of all things and embrace a holistic perspective.
Practice 11: Create Framework for Possibilities: Living in the Mystery: Embrace the unknown and find joy in the mystery of life.
Practice 12: Telling the We Story: Loving the World: Cultivate a deep love and appreciation for the world and all its inhabitants.
🎁 Top 3 Takeaways for Fostering Innovation:
🌟 Practice Giving an “A”: This approach encourages seeing the potential in others and creating a supportive environment where everyone can contribute. It shifts focus from measurement and judgment to possibility, fostering a culture of innovation.
💡 Embrace Mistakes as Opportunities: Recognizing that mistakes can be part of the creative process allows for a more open and explorative mindset. By including mistakes in our definition of performance, we can glide through challenges and enhance our innovative capabilities.
🤝 Engage in the “WE” Practice: Shift from a focus on individual success to collective achievement. By telling the “WE story,” listening for emerging possibilities, and asking what is best for the group, we generate a collaborative spirit that sparks new ideas and solutions.
“If someone chooses to share feedback, listen to understand the person, not the work. People will tell you more about themselves than about the art when giving feedback. We each see a unique world.” – Rick Rubin
The quote by one of the #goodread I had in past, “The Creative Act : a Way of being”, Rick Rubin emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding in the feedback process. When someone offers feedback, it’s easy to focus solely on the work at hand—be it a piece of art, music, or writing. However, Rubin suggests that the real value lies in understanding the individual behind the feedback. Each person’s perspective is shaped by their personal experiences, emotions, and beliefs, which means they reveal more about themselves than the work itself when sharing their thoughts.
Me and Listening 🦻
Many years ago, as part of internal assessment I have been rated 3/5 on listening skills, its a feedback, which I took with a shock. Till that point I was under impression that I know what “Listening” means, however, nodding my head, paraphrasing what some one just told me, mirroring body language is not what actual ‘Listening’ means. It means “I’m trying to listening, and proving he same”. This is not the intent. Intent is to know the other party better. This is how I started on journey of knowing me better before I learn to know other better. In this process I came across many deep understanding on this subject.
By listening with the intent to understand the person, rather than just evaluating their critique, we open ourselves up to a deeper connection and insight into different viewpoints. This approach not only enriches our own understanding but can also foster a more supportive and collaborative environment. It encourages constructive dialogue and promotes artistic growth, as individuals feel valued and heard. Ultimately, recognizing that everyone perceives the world uniquely allows for a more inclusive and reflective creative process.
Feedback and Listening … 👂
You can’t step into the same stream twice because it’s always moving. Everything is changing.
After finishing a project or activity, it’s helpful to get feedback from others. This can give us valuable insights and help us improve. For example, a 360-degree feedback after one year in a job is a good way to check how we’re doing and can make our journey more successful. The key is how we handle that feedback. The goal isn’t just to get comments or opinions from others. This is your work, and your feelings about it matter most. The aim is for you to see your work in a new light. Sometimes, a comment will really connect with you and reveal areas for growth. Other times, a negative remark may upset you, leading to a defensive reaction or doubt in your work. In such cases, it’s helpful to take a break, clear your mind, and come back with a fresh perspective. Criticism lets us look at our work from a different angle. We can choose to agree or stick to our original ideas.
How to listen thou self? 💁
Look around you: there are so many remarkable accomplishments to appreciate. Each of these is humanity being true to itself, as a hummingbird is true to itself by building a nest, a mango trees by bearing fruit, and a nimbus cloud by producing rain. We look for something new, and we find the newness. The effort for ‘look for something new’ itself brings the mind to ‘listening’ mode. When we intently look for something new, we hear better, we see better, we not only see the obvious, but we also see the reason behind the obvious. The fruit bearing tree is not there on his own, some one, some how planted it for some reason, and now the fruits are for us to enjoy! It’s a true rabbit hole to go into!
This is how we listen to self, In process improve the listening skill. The gift of awareness allows us to notice what’s going on around and inside ourselves in the present moment. And to do so without attachment or involvement. We may observe bodily sensations, passing thoughts and feelings, sounds or visual cues, smells and tastes. And this is the moment where we are really actively listening to the person.
Fall in love with the person. ❤️
To listen to someone effectively, you need to fall in love with him/her! 💕 Really!
While reading the book “Unsold Mindset,” I discovered an interesting idea about connections. It’s not just about romantic love; it’s about the meaningful friendships that arise from truly caring about someone. We’ve all felt that spark when talking to a stranger—maybe while sitting next to them on a flight or in line at the store. These moments can feel almost magical, especially when the person inspires us. As we share more of these small connections with others, whether they are clients or casual acquaintances, our trust and interest in them grow, leading to deeper understanding and compassion. Such perspective brings the mindset of making the conversation more effective and actionable more impactful
Summary 🔖
Listening is an ongoing process. I never came across someone yet, who has really ‘listens to me’ to my expectations , this could be due to my high expectations and confusion with ‘Thought reading’ expectations.
Nevertheless, I came across many successful leaders, who has shown admiringly well Listening Skills, and which shows very positive and high co-relation of listening skills with a successful leader. Leaders with these skills has not only impacted their own life by climbing the ladder of success , but also impacted the community at large, making difference to their lives and creating the lasting impact.
I’ll keep exploring the topic, and keep learning to be better at skill, and my wife will be the litmus test, nevertheless, its encouraging to be part of this journey!
As 2023 draws to a close, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey this year has been—a tapestry woven with challenges, opportunities, and, above all, the profound impact of the books that accompanied me through it all.
In the realm of managing change, “The Leader’s Handbook,” “Amazon Unbound,” “Catalyst,” “The Upside of Uncertainty,” and “The Coaching Habit” stood out as guiding lights. Each page turned felt like a step toward mastering the art of navigating uncertainty and embracing change.
In the pursuit of personal and professional excellence, I found solace in “Build,” courage in “Skin in the Game,” clarity in “Clarity,” emotional mastery in “Master Your Emotions,” and a guide to staying focused in an ever-distracting world with “Indistractable.” Also “The First 90 days” helped me navigate my professional change!.
To stay ahead of the curve and catch the elusive trends, “How Data Happened,” “Power of Prediction,” and “Game Theory” became my trusty companions, offering insights that proved invaluable in both my personal and professional spheres.
The motivational force of “The Code Breaker,” “Educated,” “Lesson in Chemistry,” “Katha,” and “The Lego Story” fueled my spirit, reminding me that the human experience is a rich tapestry of stories waiting to be explored.
And in the realm of fiction, “Contact” and “Station Eleven” etched themselves into my all-time favorites, transporting me to worlds that stretched the boundaries of imagination.
As I bid farewell to 2023, I eagerly anticipate the surprises and discoveries that 2024 holds. May this new year be filled with joy, growth, and a plethora of captivating reads. Wishing you all a delightful holiday season, a Happy New Year, and countless adventures within the pages of wonderful books! 📚✨
