Start at the end…

There are two types of people in the world. People who give you directions by telling you different landmarks to pay attention to and the psychopaths that tell you to go “east.” I usually explain that it will be hard for me to get out my compass or sextant so it would be helpful to know if I’m supposed to look for a Starbucks on the right or a red barn on the left, or something.

Having a direction is good. A destination with clear markers, much better. 

If you’re a new years resolution type of person, (I am!) it’s better to say “I want to read 30 books this year,” then “I want to read books this year,” if you intend on hitting any sort of significant, measurable milestone, and having any impact in your personal growth strategy. 

Often when working with organizations that are going through a re-brand of any kind, this is a really helpful exercise to press in on. It’s enlightening to pretend, for a minute, that we aren’t at the beginning, but at the end. We did it. It’s been fantastic, and everyone is really happy, and the work was a roaring success. Internal stakeholders, external audiences, shareholder, etc. Why are we happy? What is taking place in the world now vs. before and what brought about that success? Now, let’s work backwards and plan to make sure THAT happens.” 

This is huge because it opens up possibilities beyond the artifact we think we wanted or the outcome we think we were going to get. It helps us see what we could do that might not even have been a part of the RFP. The goal then, is not deliverables and artifacts, it’s outcomes. The deliverables serve the outcomes. Not the other way around.

The goal then, is not deliverables and artifacts, it’s outcomes.

So start at the very end. It’s a really good place to start.