7 Ways to Think Bigger

At Neon One , every new employee has an opportunity to meet with our CEO, Steve Kriter, for a "Coffee Chat." This chat isn't to "re-interview", but an opportunity to ask him any question you may have for him as a leader when you join the organization. Just over a year ago, I had my Coffee Chat with Steve. He answered several questions during our time together, but this article is focused on one of those questions, his response, and its application. What was the question?

What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently then others?

His response was that "they don't think big enough." But how do we do that?

7 Ways to Think Bigger

1. A Big Vision: A vision should be a reflection of what your organization wants to accomplish long term (10 or more years). It should be an inspirational and aspirational statement of "why" the organization exists without limiting "how" it will be accomplished.
2. Focus at the Appropriate Level: Leaders at different levels of the organization should focus to their role's decision-making horizon. As an example, CEOs should be thinking of the vision and strategy of where the company needs to go five to ten years from now. VPs should consider the strategy, objectives, and resources that will lead to that vision within the next one to five years. Directors should consider the strategies, objectives, and resources that are required to reach that goal over the next year. Managers and individual contributors are then able to focus on the work and processes to accomplish the vision within the next week, month, quarter, and year.
3. Creative Destruction: We are in an ever-evolving world. Sometimes, what has worked in the past won't work in the future. As Goldsmith Marshall says, "what got you here won't get you there." Sometimes you have to completely overhaul something to achieve the vision. Consider the example of Blockbuster and Netflix. When Netflix launched a better way to "entertain the world," Blockbuster didn't evolve. Their resistance to change ultimately led to going out of business. Be open to changing anything, except your values, to accomplish the big vision. To be clear, this isn't a statement to say go after all the "shiny objects;" this is about thinking creatively. Instead of being boxed into the current approach to doing something, consider a new way to accomplish the vision - as it is often said, "there are no sacred cows."
4. Expanding Horizons: As you think creatively, it's valuable to look beyond your immediate industry for inspiration. While some ideas may not be groundbreaking or situated in 'blue oceans' elsewhere, they can still offer untapped opportunities when applied to a new context. Borrowing proven concepts from other sectors and adapting them to your own needs can be a powerful catalyst for change, enabling you to accomplish your vision in unique and impactful ways.
5. Be Effective Then Efficient: Being efficient is important because time is valuable. But be careful not to do ineffective things efficiently. Understand your goals and objectives, how to achieve them, and then make the process more efficient. It will give you and your team time to do the next right thing.
6. Human Action Model: We are surrounded by disruption and change constantly. But oftentimes, change is hard and resistance prevents the full benefit of what could have been from being realized. Leveraging the Human Action Model can help. While this mental model comes from a lengthy book, here is the distilled principle. Humans need three things to change: 1) a vision of a future, better state, 2) a discontent with the current state, and 3) a belief that they can reach the future state. Work through these areas and determine what might be missing to help you realize the changes required.
7. Consider Your Mindset: In this week's Connected Fundraising Weekly newsletter, Tim Sarrantonio discusses the impact that blinders and complacency can have if we're not careful. While his article focuses on the lessons for nonprofit fundraisers, his conclusion is something that can be applied by anyone, regardless of profession. Be open to continuously learning new things and apply that learning effectively.

Why It Matters?

Whether you're in a leadership role today or aspiring to be in one, considering these 7 areas can help you to think bigger today and in the future.