Tech Moat v/s Tech Tree

Don’t build a tech moat, build a tech tree – Elon Musk

If you get into the essence of this statement, it makes a heck of a lot of sense. When you build moats, you are most likely going to be maintaining it with additional resources. In effect it’s a defence strategy that has been designed to keep the unwanted elements (read competitors) at bay.

Whereas trees have an onwards and upwards journey that starts with a seed. A tree has a life of its own and will payback in abundance. It grows above and below the surface with a singular focus on surviving and thriving.

Million-dollar question is how do I pivot to building #TechTree?

By no means a #silverbullet, but a squeeze of what I have seen work. Take it away.

A.?????Your #businessphilosophy

What is your #businessplan? How unique is your #product / service? In reality, if your product or service doesn’t have a competitor then you probably have got it all wrong. If your focus is on doing marginally better than the existing players then that’s what your product (tech enabled product) will be, marginally better. If it’s about disruption, that’s when it gets interesting. So please get this in place. A lot of organisations assume that they will make a kick-ass product along the way. Hmmm… I am yet to see that Pupa transforming into a Butterfly. Mind you, time is of the essence.

B.?????Hiring the A Team

Your product is as good as the people who are making it, that’s it. If you aspire for a #disruptor of a product, then get the talent (tech and product) that is rearing to make a dent. Get the people who are #hungry, #creative, sharply #analytical, deep #customerempathy and sense of urgency. Set a high benchmark for who walks through the doors of your organisation. The thing about high quality talent is that they are like swans, one takes off and the others join and soon it’s a flock.

C.?????Structuring the team

As founders, a lot of this idea of structure will either succeed or fail with you. High quality talent does not respect hierarchy, they love solving complex problems and the #autonomy to solve those problems. Here are some of steps for you to consider-

a.??????#Structure the team around your key problem statements

b.??????Keep the team as small as possible

c.??????Clarity on explicitly stated #DecisionMaker, Disagree and Commit

d.??????Autonomy to go the whole hog

Organisations will do well to clearly define the objective/s and the key results expected from the team and the lead. Someone will need to define the jigsaw pieces, such that its all adding up.

D.?????#Charters for the teams

a.??????With great power, comes great responsibility (had to slip this in)

b.??????Laser focus on releases

c.??????First time world class

d.??????You miss details, we call off the deal

e.??????Loosely coupled with the #mothership

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E.??????Impact on the culture

Let’s live with the fact the organisations will have many sub-cultures and this can be one of them. The very premise of this structure is ‘Trust’, if you do not repose, demonstrate and build trust, this structure will fail. People thrive and demonstrate capabilities unsee before when they are faced with challenges and someone reposing trust in their capabilities. I am yet to come across an organisation that has does not have Trust as a building block to their growth story.?