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The "First Principled" Founder's avatar

This is a great read @kelly Swart. I love this. You said it much better than I. This thinking is why so many companies fail. I'm a business guy and have involved with many companies over my career. To often this basic building block thinking is one of the big reasons so many firms fail before they ever deliver on what may be a great idea. As a person who is trying to help some of those firms, I just think this post says a lot that maybe never gets said!

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Kellie Swart's avatar

I appreciate you saying that. The irony is that the ‘basic building blocks’ are often treated like afterthoughts, when in reality they decide whether an idea thrives or fails.

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The "First Principled" Founder's avatar

Spot on Kellie....Nailed it!

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Alisha Smith's avatar

One sentence really can change everything. This post was a reset I didn’t know I needed. Thank you.

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Kellie Swart's avatar

I'm so glad it resonated. Thank you for sharing your reflection, Alisha.

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The Hidden Side of Leadership's avatar

Collaborative problem solving rests on a foundation of clarity. This is a great guide for effective ways to think about it and express it. Thanks! I will pass it along,

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Kellie Swart's avatar

You're right, without clarity, even the best problem-solving efforts get tangled. I appreciate you sharing.

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Melanie Goodman's avatar

Totally with you – I used to equate speed with progress too. But rushing often just meant repackaging the same headache in a new box.

Slowing down to define the actual friction? That’s where the real shift started for me.

According to Harvard Business Review, companies waste nearly $30 million for every $1 billion spent on projects due to poor problem definition and scope creep. https://hbr.org/2022/03/the-secret-to-better-problem-solving

(LinkedIn tip I give senior execs: Before jumping into a new initiative, write a 1-sentence problem statement in your “About” draft area. Keep tweaking it until it’s crystal clear. Use this same clarity to steer your content and team conversations.)

What helped you learn to pause and define before solving?

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