Refining Your Guiding Principles
As leaders of a a discipline, a team, or a business, we embark on a perpetual journey of growth and refinement, both for ourselves and things things we work on. Central to this journey emerge Guiding Principles—beacons that illuminate our path and shape our decisions, whether we know them concretely or not. Yet, as the terrain of business evolves, so too must our guiding lights. At major intersection of life establishing a vital practice of revisiting ones guiding principles becomes not just a ritual of reflection, but as a strategic exercise in introspection and holistic evaluation.
The Art of Introspection Through Guiding Principles:
Writing out Guiding Principles is a profound (and often difficult) exercise in introspection. It forces us to step back, view our actions and decisions through an external lens, and ensure alignment with our core values and business objectives. This reflection is not merely about adherence, but about evolution—assessing the relevance and impact of each principle in the current business landscape and making necessary adjustments to stay true to our mission while navigating new challenges.
Time to Review, Reflect, and Refresh: Guiding Principals held from 2018-2023
Process/Tools Work for Us, Not Us for Them:
Original Thought: Technology in in a exponential rate of change and as we adopt new tool and methodologies, this principle reminds us to remain masterful, ensuring that the things we subscribe to enhance our efficiency without dictating our strategies. We also should be mindful to balance the need to augments our abilities with technology, without using it to hide poorly managed human processes.
New considerations: How does the rise of AI tool play into this principal?
Involve the Right People, at the Right Time, in the Right Place:
Original Thought: The evolving dynamics of the people we work with and how best to leverage individual strengths in the ever-changing context of our projects. Also, gatekeeping knowledge can be one of the ways to quick degrade a trust of a group and the quality of its outputs.
New considerations: This principal is important for larger organizations that need to balance having "to many cooks in the kitchen" and not have the right decision makers available to keep forward momentum. How does this apply to start-up/smaller business when people are wearing multiple hats?
Honor the Business Strategy, Respect the Crafts:
Original Thought: A balance between collective strategic goals and the expertise of individuals can help us distinguish between the Letter of the Law and the Spirit of the Law when it comes to executive directions and practical application. As our business strategy evolves, so too must our appreciation and integration of the diverse crafts that bring it to life.
New considerations: This matter in a situation when there is both high expertise at both the Strategic Leadership level and and the Individual Contributor level. How does this play out when there are deficiencies in one or the other?
Understand Complexity, Push Simplicity:
Original Thought: In a world increasingly complex, this principle becomes ever more relevant. It challenges us to distill complexity into simplicity, ensuring clarity and accessibility in all we do.
New considerations: Downplaying complexity can be one of the biggest reason for missed deadline, blown scope, and increased costs. With rising collective understanding of the nuances that shape our world, how to do we continue to respect those while not getting overloaded to the point of disregarding the very complexities that need to be considered?
Work with Constraints, Push Boundaries:
Original Thought: Encouraging innovation within the confines of current constraints reminds us that boundaries are often the birthplace of breakthroughs.
New considerations: How do we correctly identify what is actually a "wall" and what is a "window"?
Balance Efficiency with Effectiveness:
Original Thought: As priorities shift and new challenges arise, revisiting this principle ensures that we do not sacrifice quality for speed, nor lose pace in pursuit of perfection.
New considerations: Is there a way to apply a sliding scale here to designate time when it is appropriate to over index to one or the other?
Solve for Today, Plan for Tomorrow:
Original Thought: This principle epitomizes the forward-looking aspect of our guiding principles, urging us to be responsive to immediate needs while laying the groundwork for future success.
New considerations: A new Principal is emerging that can be written "Think Big, act small", both these are Agile type principals. How we we reconcile these two and decide what would be useful moving forward?
Revisiting our Guiding Principles, annually if possible, is more than a best practice—it's a commitment to continual growth, strategic alignment, and reflective leadership. It ensures that our principles not only guide us but grow with us, mirroring the evolution of our vision, our team, and the landscape we navigate. As we reflect on our principles, we reaffirm our dedication to leading with intention, embracing change, and forging a path that is both principled and adaptive.
Take a moment to reflect on your own Guiding Principles. Are they in alignment with your current vision and challenges? Share your experiences and insights on how revisiting and refining these principles has shaped your leadership journey. Let's inspire a dialogue that celebrates growth, introspection, and the dynamic nature of leadership.
