We love evidence that we’re right, and that’s the problem. Confirmation bias pushes teams to validate assumptions instead of trying to disprove them.
From Wason’s card test to John Snow’s cholera work, the lesson is the same: earn conviction by challenging your thesis, not defending it.
Don’t Prove Your Thesis…Prove It Wrong Read More »
Most UVPs don’t fail because they’re wrong. They fail because they’re generic or self-focused. A UVP should work like a mirror and a lens: reflect the customer’s current reality so they feel understood, then show the future state you enable. If prospects can’t see themselves, it’s not going to resonate and deliver the outcome your business desires.
Is Your UVP Doing Its Job? Read More »
Buyer personas often become wall posters — stock photos and stereotypes with no impact.
The fix isn’t better bios. It’s a shift in objective: map how the buyer decides. What triggers a search, what proof convinces them, what objections stall them, and what tradeoffs they’ll accept under pressure.
I Hated Buyer Personas Until… Read More »
“Mid-market companies” isn’t an ICP. It’s a lake. The bait is psychographics, triggers, buying behavior, and pain that’s urgent enough to act on.
The “I” matters: ideal means prioritizing who you should pursue now, not everyone who could buy. Focus compounds.
Stop Fishing with Generic Bait Read More »
Most mission and vision statements sound inspiring but fail under pressure.
A real North Star should do three things: name an urgent customer problem, make it easier to say “no,” and energize the people you want to attract. If it can’t guide decisions, it isn’t guiding.
A North Star That Doesn’t Guide…Isn’t Read More »
If “save time” is your unique value proposition, you’re not unique. Efficiency is table stakes now — like a dishwasher that cleans dishes.
Buyers don’t pay for efficiency; they pay for what it enables: more revenue, lower costs, or less risk. Name the outcome. Sell that.
Efficiency Isn’t the End Game Read More »
What just happened always feels most important, but it rarely tells the whole story.
This post explores recency bias, why our brains overweight the latest signal, and how leaders can stop overreacting to noise while still staying responsive to what matters.
Not all villains wear capes. Some just keep “helping.”
This post introduces The Meddler: the leader who reacts to noise, tweaks too soon, and breaks momentum.
The antidote? A clear operating thesis that tells you when to act, and when to stay the course.
Success feels like validation, but it can quietly blind us.
This post explores how elite leaders stay ahead by questioning what’s working while it’s working. Because the biggest risk isn’t failure, it’s winning and assuming tomorrow will look like today.
How the Best Stay Ahead Read More »
When everything feels rushed, our thinking gets tight.
Much like in tennis, this post explores why leaders get “jammed” by constant motion — and how creating space unlocks clarity, flow, and better decisions. Because our best work doesn’t happen crammed up against the ball.
Create Space to Stop Getting Jammed Read More »
