Build Frameworks: How Leaders Can Develop Tools to be Influential Beyond Their Time

Early in my career, I used to say we'll be a $10,000,000 company by telling the world WHAT to think - but a $100,000,000 company telling the world HOW to think. This focus on revenue felt like the right indicator of success, but in times of stress, doing it for the money felt empty. Innovation-wise, we could only move on projects with a short-term financial return and not for the potential long-term impact our work can make for the world. 

In mid-2016, my COO Gus Murillo, told me his concerns about our cash flow. We were dipping in acquiring new customers, and morale was sinking. Having a revenue goal felt disconnected. It lacked purpose. Something had to change, or we were going to have to make some difficult decisions. What's worse is we were fresh off our merger of Big Fish Presentations and Hatchit becoming ThreeSixtyEight. Was this all a big mistake?

It wasn't until we had an honest talk with the team on the situation. We learned that the focus on revenue was disconnecting our employees' purpose within the company and led us to be short-sighted on projects that brought immediate revenue. There needed to be a shift in philosophy on what kind of work we took and how we valued success. 

Around this time, a friend of mine recommended that I read the book Good to Great by Jim Collins. Desperate, I read through the book, searching for guidance and answers. I eventually found something that challenged my thinking—the third quality of great companies - lasting endurance. 

"Lasting endurance—the ability to have great results and a distinctive impact such that people would miss you if you were gone over a long period, through multiple generations of leaders and product cycles and technologies."

Our turnaround as a company came when we began asking ourselves," If ThreeSixtyEight, was wiped off the face of the earth tomorrow, why would people miss us?" Answering this question made us intentional about our company eulogy vs. our resume. 

This pursuit of answering this question shifted our philosophy on doing things that have high impact potential on people with revenue being a by-product of doing the right thing. 

Since 2017, we began focusing on:

• Innovating our client processes - From asking better questions to diagnose problems to most recently our creative process for projects through CandorDome - our version of the Pixar Braintrust.
• Position ourselves as a platform for ideas to those who can and can't afford us -See our TSE online webinar series or Assembly Required Series. We even released a book on presentations The Big Fish Experience.
• Creating frameworks we can teach others to share - See our presentation mindmap on how to outline your presentations quickly to our uncommon future framework on how to build your brand purpose). 

The above is our Uncommon Future framework used to discover brand purpose.

So far, our bet on defining success from revenue to impact has led us to positive growth every year - even in 2016 and a retained workforce with a culture that lives our mission and values.

This shift impact on ThreeSixtyEight has led me to rethink my original statement of 10,000,000 to 100,000,000. 

Instead about the dollars, it's about the people. 

My statement is now - "If your company wants to impact 1,000,000 people, tell them WHAT to think. If you want to impact, 10,000,000+ people, teach people HOW to think." 

It's essential to focus on both. 

The great companies get this. For example, look at the approach of legendary design firm IDEO. Companies like IDEO understand that it's essential to be profitable in the short-term by telling the world what to think via their consultancy services, but you'll be remembered far longer by explaining how through their IDEOU platform.

So now for the tactical question..."How can anyone teach the world how to think - even on a shoestring budget?"

Short answer - Teach frameworks you use to help guide people to dissect problems or better understand situations. 

The best leaders are the ones that simplify explanations and give frameworks on how to think. These leaders understand that frameworks increase their influence and help spread their ideologies/philosophies in situations where they may not be present. 

When developing frameworks, think with the mindset of a mathematician, philosopher, or scientists (hope the Pythagorean Theorem rings a bell). You want to create structures that can 1) be easily explained, yet allow complicated scenarios to be understood, and 2) limit creativity within a "box" to prevent veering off course.

Frameworks can be delivered via:

• Acronyms - Letters in a word that each represent a philosophy or sequential order. We use RAIL (refer, annoy, inform, love) when teaching how to build trust. Another example is SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relatable, and timely).
• Diagrams/Graphs - Visuals that help bucket trains of thought to help understand a process or situation. We use The Big Fish Experience mindmap and our Uncommon Future Venn diagram as a process. We also reference Patrick Lencioni's Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Kim Scott's Radical Candor, and Simon Sinek's Golden Circle.
• Formulas - Simplistic yet complicated mathematical equations that, when implemented, produce a key expected result. Our formula for great presentations is Engaging Content + Simplistic Design + Powerful Delivery = Presentation Experience. A common way to think about this is any mathematical or scientific formula you've been taught. 
• Fill in the Blank: Phrases that require you to complete for a revelation. Reference Simon Sinek's How To Find Your Why Statement framework via the fill in the blank formula - "(contribution) so that (impact)."
• Quotes: Phrases that remind us of what's important. Think of Muhammad Ali as one of the greats that knew how to make memorable quotes via rhyme or juxtaposition - "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

If you have made it this far and are bought into creating frameworks, this Framework Factory is an excellent tool to use

This framework guide is of the best ways to spend $100 I promise you.

—

I hope my reflection has helped you to:

• Understand the importance of telling people WHAT to think (whether to buy this product or providing a service) and HOW to think (whether through a framework or philosophy).
• Understand how developing frameworks can make you an influential leader - it's how people can remember you beyond your time. 
• The importance of impact vs. revenue. If you know your audience well and do the right thing, revenue will always be a by-product. 

Ultimately, I want you to remember this - be a resource even when you're not accessible.

In return, you'll create other influential leaders. And they will produce more influential leaders.

Starting this cycle by giving out tools and resources is how you can impact 100,000,000 people.

Mastering the above will put you on the path for greatness and much deeper fulfillment. 

And, God forbid one hell of a company eulogy.