Read Time: 4 minutes. |
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The Silent Business Killer |
Your team isn't failing because of bad strategy, poor execution, or market conditions. |
It's failing because you can't finish what you start. |
Every quarter, leadership gets excited about a new initiative. AI transformation. Customer experience overhaul. Digital marketing revolution. Process optimization. |
Six months later, these projects are 60% complete, consuming resources, and delivering zero ROI. Meanwhile, the team is already chasing the next shiny object. |
This is Shiny Object Syndrome. |
And it's killing more wining teams than fierce competition ever will. |
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The Three Common Symptoms |
Symptom 1: The Premature Pivot |
You give up on initiatives before they have a chance to work. |
The hidden cost: You never get ROI on anything because you never finish anything. Every pivot is an admission that months of work and investment were wasted. |
Symptom 2: The Grass-is-Greener Delusion |
You believe the next initiative will be easier than your current one. |
The hidden cost: You're always starting over. You never build on previous wins or learn from previous investments. Compounding stops before it ever starts. |
Symptom 3: The Expansion Trap |
You chase growth through new initiatives instead of maximizing proven ones. |
The hidden cost: You spread resources thin across multiple mediocre efforts instead of pouring yourself into one exceptional capability. |
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Why Discipline Isn't Enough |
Most advice about focus boils down to "just have more discipline." This misses the point. |
The problem isn't willpower. It's systems. |
The Real Culprits: |
No clear definition of "done" No bottleneck identification No single-threaded ownership No pre-determined pivot criteria
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The Focus Framework: Three Systems to Beat Shiny Object Syndrome |
System 1: The Bottleneck Lock |
The Principle: Every business has exactly one constraint that limits growth. Fix that constraint, and a new one will emerge. Focus only on the current bottleneck. |
How to Identify Your Bottleneck: Ask: "If we could improve one thing by 50%, what would have the biggest impact on our results?" |
The Bottleneck Lock Process: |
Name it: What is our current bottleneck? Own it: Who is responsible for breaking this bottleneck? Measure it: How will we know when it's fixed? Protect it: What other initiatives will we pause until this is resolved?
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Example: "Our bottleneck is lead generation. Until we consistently generate 100 qualified leads per month, we will not launch new products, enter new markets, or optimize our website." |
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System 2: Single-Threaded Teams |
The Principle: Create teams that can only succeed in one direction. If the initiative fails, they fail. If it succeeds, they succeed. |
The Core Team (3-5 people): |
Owner: Senior leader who stakes their reputation on success Builder: Person who creates/implements the solution Iterator: Person who tracks progress and identifies problems Connector: Person who manages dependencies with other teams
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The Success Contract: Document what success looks like and what happens if the team achieves it: |
Specific metrics and timelines Resources committed (budget, people, time) Rewards for success (promotions, bonuses, recognition)
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System 3: The Definition of Done |
The Principle: Agree on "what done looks like" before you start. Don't stop until you get there. |
The Done Definition Framework: |
Minimum Viable Done: What's the least we need to achieve to call this successful? Example: "Customer satisfaction scores increase from 7.2 to 8.0 and stay there for 3 consecutive months." |
Optimal Done: What would make this a massive win? Example: "Customer satisfaction scores reach 8.5, customer retention improves by 15%, and we can replicate this process in other departments." |
Done-Done Criteria: |
Measurable: Specific metrics, not subjective assessments Sustainable: Results that persist without constant intervention Scalable: Process that can be replicated or expanded Documented: Knowledge captured so others can build on it
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When to Pivot: The Intelligent Quit Framework |
Not every initiative should be completed. Sometimes quitting is the right strategic choice. |
Pivot Criteria (Establish These Upfront): |
Market Feedback: |
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Resource Constraints: |
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Strategic Shifts: |
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The Pivot Process: |
Debrief on lessons learned Salvage valuable components Communicate the decision clearly Reassign resources strategically
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Your 30-Day Reflect Refactor Refocus Plan |
This Week: |
Identify your bottleneck: What single constraint most limits your growth? Audit current initiatives: Which ones don't address the bottleneck? Define "done": For your most important project, what specific outcome constitutes completion?
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Next 30 Days: |
Create single-threaded team for bottleneck resolution Pause or reassign resources from non-bottleneck projects Establish weekly progress reviews focused on completion, not activity
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Success Metrics: |
Number of active initiatives (should decrease) Percentage of initiatives reaching "done" status (should decrease) ROI on completed projects (should increase) Time from project start to completion (should decrease)
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The Focus Filter: |
Before starting any new initiative, ask: |
Does this directly address our current bottleneck? Do we have a single-threaded team ready to own it? Have we defined what "done" looks like? Are we willing to see this through to completion?
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If the answer to any question is no, don't start. |
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Your Next Move |
The goal isn't to do more things. It's to finish the right things. |
Pick one initiative. Apply all three systems. Complete it before starting anything else. |
Because in business, as in life, completion beats perfection. |
And focus beats everything. |
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What You Missed This Week |
Our Sunday AM posts: |
📌 12 Quiet Lessons That Changed How I Think (Dave on LI)
📌 How To Decide Faster (Mar on LI)
📌 High Performing Teams Require Trust (Dave on X) |
And here are our most popular posts last week: |
🔥 10 Management Traps Smart Leaders Avoid (Dave on LI)
🔥 Leadership Skills of the Top 1% (Dave on X)
🔥 Run a Quick Energy Audit For Your Team (Mar on LI)
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Our goal is to build a community of 1 million thoughtful, curious leaders. |
You can help us by reposting anything that resonates with you. |
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Thank you for reading. Appreciate you! |
Dave |
| | | | Ways To Work With Us | MGMT Fundamentals - Eight one hour sessions over two weeks starting September 9 at 12:00 PM ET. Perfect for managers with 0-3 years of experience who want to quickly build the skills and systems to lead their team effectively from Day 1. | MGMT Accelerator - Eight 90-minute sessions over four weeks plus 3 group coaching session starting October at 7 11:00 AM ET. Perfect for experienced leaders with 3-10 years of experience who want to refine their systems to deliver more impact and level up as a leader. | 1:1 Executive Coaching - My sweet spot is solving real problems while helping leaders build their management OS. Email me to setup an intro call. | Customized Leadership Programs - Bring our MGMT Accelerator or MGMT Fundamentals in-house for a tailored, intensive workshop. Ideal for 15+ leaders. | Speaking - We're now booking keynotes for Fall of 2025. Hit reply on this note, and we can set up a time to discuss topics and pricing. | MGMT Playbook - If you're here because someone forwarded this email, please subscribe before you leave. | |
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