Here is an excerpt from a post by Josh Linkner at his blog.
The title is somewhat deceiving because most business initiatives in unfamiliar territory (e.g. doing business in a new market or new country) need both a map and a compass. A knowledgeable guide will also be handy. Josh has an important point to make. Read on.
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With today’s furious speed and mind-numbing complexity, there’s no such thing as a map to success. Naïve bosses who still hand out maps don’t understand that the model no longer works. The cost to produce a map in the past may have been justified, since change was slow. But with a rate of change like none other in history, imagine trying to create a street map if the roadways completely changed five times an hour.
Not to mention, business victories now involve pioneering new ground, requiring the equivalent of off-roading through uncharted territory.
When teams or organizations turn off their brains and simply follow the map, progress shrivels. Issuing a compass, in contrast, is a far more effective approach to leadership. Provide a clear vision of your destination point, and give your team the tools to navigate their own path. Empower them to make decisions in the face of ambiguity.
Give them the target and resources, and then let them use their ingenuity and judgment to find the best route. Shifting terrain, unexpected roadblocks, and surprise attacks can be conquered only by travelers who can think and act without detailed instructions.
Creativity over compliance. Empowerment over control. Thinking over following. Compasses over maps.
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Here is a direct link to the complete article.
Josh Linkner is a venture capitalist, tech entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, and top-rated keynote speaker. As Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners, he helps startups disrupt the old guard while helping to rebuild his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Josh is on a mission to drive creativity, innovation, and reinvention. And he also plays a mean jazz guitar. For more, please click here.