Start with the ending in mind
"Tell me how this ends." This famous line was uttered by then Major General (2-Star) David Petraeus as an Army division commander in Iraq in 2003. A student of military history, specifically Vietnam, he knew all too well that wars are relatively easy to start but near impossible to end. The question remained unanswered for years. As we bear witness to the unraveling in Afghanistan I thought it appropriate to blog about this important operational and leadership approach. I've spent the previous week thinking and writing about this war and our failures and I'll share my thoughts on another medium.
Starting with the end or exit in mind is a sound business principle. Businesses grow or scale to one day sell or transition in some fashion. The owner's goal in exit planning is to get the most value out of the enterprise. This translates to having a healthy business (systems, finances, people, and climate) with great potential. It is also a sound principle for leadership.
Leaders must invest some intellectual capital imagining what end state looks like. In strategy (ends, ways, means), you start with the end in mind and work backward from there. "What should we be doing today which will bring us to our strategic ends?" It also applies to leading people. If Dana is not performing well in his role, how does his leader address it and how will it end? An ending could see Dana retrained and functioning efficiently or, if he cannot overcome and perform, on notice to be fired. Contentious statements, accusations and conversations also have an outcome or an end which leaders must consider.
"I'm going to admonish my team for their lack of teamwork and innovation in last quarter's project." What outcome should a leader expect from this admonishment? What does 'right' look like beyond this admonishment?
"We have to put a policy in place to address this problem in our company." What is the end goal of the policy? When is it complete and complied with? What is happening or not happening anymore which brings the organization closer to its goals and vision?
"I'm going to text Mia and tell her I'm tired of her whining." What does a leader hope to accomplish with that text? What lies on the other side of that comment?
Like warfare, company policies, big projects and new initiatives are relatively easy to start but hard to end. In leadership we don't get a pass. We have to do the hard work with our teams to imagine, describe, communicate, and work toward the end. We owe that to our organization and its people. Failure to do this results in what you see unfolding in Afghanistan.
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Rob
Rob Campbell