Rational methodology and Growth mindset

Rational. Logic. Argued.

I rely on a working method built around logic and common sense. It consists of taking a step back, evaluating the possibilities, making rational and justified decisions.

In my opinion, this is the most consistent way of working in terms of efficiency or productivity, and of methodology in general. I apply it to absolutely everything.

For those familiar with personality tests, in DISC I am red/blue and in MBTI I am Entp-A/T. Basically, I like to cut to the chase, I rely a lot on logic and I usually prefer the rational rather than the emotional.

If you work randomly, your results will be random.

Every one of your actions has a reason

Why? I wonder all the time. If a task, decision, or any other action is not justified by logical arguments, it is a mistake.

Don’t confuse logic with non-emotional. My personal feelings can be a rational justification for making a decision.

What I mean by “every action has a reason” is that I break down my goals in stages. To get from point A to point B, why do I have to go through point C? Why D?

It’s like a constant challenge, but in a constructive way. I’m trying to make progress, to have the best solution, so how do I get there?

It’s not to say “I’m shit”, it’s to say “how can I do better?”

If I can’t explain a choice, it doesn’t mean it’s bad, it means it’s uncertain.

Small exercise to put this concept into practice:

Your current project or goal, why do you want to achieve it? How?

Explain each choice, in a reasoned way, and see where it sticks. It has to make sense, that your answer to the problem is obvious. Otherwise, your reasoning may not be sufficiently well constructed.

Have a 360° vision and thinking

Every action does not belong to a single domain, it is impossible. In entrepreneurship in particular, we must think globally.

The choice of the flour of a bakery will impact its cost, its recipe, potentially the taste, and therefore indirectly the success of its products, its expenses and income, the way it cooks... Every action, no matter how small, has an impact on other related areas.

So whether it’s to anticipate impacts, or to better evaluate a decision, 360° vision is mandatory. Anticipating is part of the job.

To think in a reasoned, logical way, based on concrete information and facts, you must be informed. Having an overview allows us to better understand the different elements, actors, impacts.

So keep up-to-date with what’s going on, internally, in your industry, market, with your customers, competitors.

Do I know enough information to make a decision or perform an action?

If not, who can help me, or how can I fix it?

Small exercise to put this notion into practice:

Choose an action that fits your case. It can be anything, like writing an email or buying croissants for your team.

Lists all areas that are influenced or related to this action, however small.

If I buy pastries this morning for my team, it affects: their well-being, my wallet, my schedule, their diet, the well-being of those who are not present, everyone’s schedule, the ties they have with each other, cleaning the premises, etc.

The list must be exhaustive, and it may seem ridiculous. It’s so you realize that action has repercussions, even barely perceptible. So imagine the global impact that major actions have.

Synthesis and structure

If you follow these first two points everytime, it must seem long and tedious. So I have to explain each of my choices, and for each choice take into account all the parameters and domains that this implies?

Yes.

But in order for it not to take 1000 years for each micro-decision, we have to synthesize.

I identify areas, types of actions, and types of decisions. And I structure my thoughts in stages, like a checklist.

Each type of task typically involves certain types of related domains and impacts.

Take the example of accepting a new client. I know that this usually involves a notion of time, emotions, as well as an economic factor.

If these three key factors are in agreement, I can take this new customer without hesitation.

• If I have enough time, and I’m okay with the time it’s going to take.
• If I feel that I will not have negative emotions, such as stress or anxiety.
• If the financial gain I get from it is what I want.

This is just a non-exhaustive example. There are many more areas involved in this decision to take on a new client.

To summarize, I have a mental checklist that helps me frame my choices. Otherwise, I make hasty decisions.

That may seem radical as a way of doing things, and it’s not for everyone. Try, in a way that suits you, to structure your decision-making in general.

No small exercise this time, unless you’re the kind who makes hasty decisions:

Try to structure yourself. My method allows me to limit errors, and thus increase the chances of success.

If you do everything just using your feelings, you will always be improvising, it will make you anxious and will likely lower your chances.

Organize to break free

It takes a lot of time to organize. Planning appointments, actions and agendas.

It takes time, and mental load.

To regain both, I plan as much as possible. You can’t predict infinitely, so I found my rhythm: I plan every Sunday my next week in detail, and the outline of the next week.

At the beginning I also indicated the objectives of the week, of each task, and I measured the time it took me. This has now allowed me to correctly predict the duration of each action.

More abstract or unpredictable tasks are also to be anticipated. Even a creative task like “finding an idea”, I give it a duration during which I only do that. Having a deadline or a maximum time can boost your creativity.

I willingly leave a lot of holes in my schedule, for really unpredictable tasks. If something suddenly pops-up in my agenda, I don’t want it to impact the rest.

Having written everything, for example with Google Agenda, helps me enormously. This allows me to stop thinking about it, I have notifications that guide me in my day. I can share it, so my associates know when they can bother me ;)

For tasks, I make todo lists on Notion. Take the tool you like, you need to be comfortable with it.

Consider establishing a Gantt Chart or a Kanban board according to your needs and projects. Alone or in a team, this allows you to have all these advantages: save some time, and free some mental load.

Focus on your actions.

Small practical exercise:

Plan your next week. Outline, then refine as best you can. Leave room for the unexpected. And for your weekend, plan a time to organize the following week. Planning is a task like any other.

Creates pathways

I think in pathways. You may already be doing it, it’s quite common in marketing, sales, or any field involving clients. But that thinking can apply to anything, whether there are customers in the equation or not.

Let’s take a marketing example. I want to have new clients, through LinkedIn. So I’m going to carve out every step of my future client’s journey, to get to the point where he hires me for a mission as a freelancer.

Starting from the end, it gives:

• He hires me
• He discusses it with his team
• We have an appointment
• He contacts me
• He discovers my site
• He visits on my LinkedIn profile
• He likes one of my publications

Now that I have all the steps, I have to identify what takes my future client to the final one. And we’re going to make every logic decision according to that reasoning.

• How can I get him to discover my website? I need to make my profile attractive, and very clear, so that visitors will want to visit my website.
• How can I make them want to contact me when they see my website? I make my offer very easy to understand, and I highlight the benefits they will gain from it. I try to make contacting me as simple as possible, so that it is easy for them to reach me.
• They need to talk to their teams after the meeting? I prepare a brochure or a slideshow that he can show to his team, clearly presenting what they will gain from it.

I’ll stop at these examples, but you can go as far as you can.

I chose my legal status so that my clients could deduct VAT, which suits them, and everything is automated. Hiring me is SIMPLE and OBVIOUS.

By reducing friction, we lose fewer leads. This is called a funnel, or conversion tunnel (if you’re interested, find out about the AARRR framework).

This method is applicable everywhere.

I want my partner to answer quickly? I text him at the time I know he is available, clarifying my question and on the channel he likes to use.

I need a bank loan? I make my case clear, and I reassure my banker while being friendly and polite, etc.

And even when there is no human interaction: for a choice I have to make, what is the easiest way to have what I want? By searching the Internet, asking an expert, or trusting someone with it?

As seen above,

1. We continue to question, in order to reach our goal as effectively as possible.
2. There are a lot of factors to consider, hence the 360° vision.
3. So as not to get lost, we synthesize to go faster.
4. We organize to be free from uncontrolled chaos.
5. And we think about: how to reduce friction, and make it simple?

Zigzag, and little by little, learn to go straight.

Thank you for reading me!

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Have a good day/night/morning/evening/life.