Nothing is ever what it seems at first glance—especially when it comes to what holds back a company or an individual’s growth.
That’s why, during strategic sessions, I deliberately ignore the initial theories that pop into my head about what’s wrong with a company. I’m also skeptical of diagnoses made by the client.
If the problem were so obvious, it would have been resolved long ago. Instead, the business stalls for years. Revenues spike, then slump. Customers and employees come and go, but no breakthrough ever happens. Potential buyers show interest—but only half-heartedly, and rarely.
So, where’s the beaver hiding? The one that’s turned a once-rushing river into a swamp?
Finding it requires more than just an algorithm. The hardest part is staying open to the unexpected—remembering that the root of the problem, and the solution, might lie in the least likely place.
You need to prepare for the session—then be ready to toss the template. I recall an old case when I interviewed every top executive and shareholder in a company. They were all smart and experienced, yet none of them grasped the secret to the company’s success. It was something the founder had mentioned offhand, without realizing its significance.
Openness to the new creates fertile ground for breakthroughs.
It's a moment I've loved since my days working in advertising. Back then, hitting a dead end was routine. When tomorrow’s big pitch to the client demanded a “Big Idea,” but five hours of brainstorming only deepened the despair.
Then one of us would return from the restroom and say, “You know, I just thought of something…”
“That’s it!” I’d thought as the brainstorming moderator. The key was not to crush that fragile new idea but to nurture it and let it grow within the group’s mind. The next day, the client would leave thrilled. Sales would soar. Recognition. Gratitude.
If you’re working on your company’s strategy, cultivate openness to the new—in your team and yourself. This is the key that unlocks unstoppable growth.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.