Today is the first of a 10 part series on the relationship of a song lyric to strategy and leadership. I have a wide range of music I listen to, so maybe there will be a new song in the mix for you. Hope you enjoy singing along on this journey.
“Start with the ending. It’s the best way to begin.”
“Start with the Ending” By David Wilcox
The song “Start with the Ending” has always struck me. Though the song is about marriage, I love to use this line in strategy work. Strategy is a bit different than building a house, we don’t start at the foundation and build up, we start with the tippy top of the chimney and then build the foundation to get there.
When I work with a client in strategy work, the very first question I ask them is what are your mission and values? The next- who do you want to be?
If we compare this to a car ride, if we don’t have a final destination, we will drive around for hours without making progress. This is fine when you are out for a Sunday drive on a beautiful fall day, but in business this won’t get you far.
When you think about your company, team, or self in 5 or 10 years, what does it look and how does it feel? What is the culture? Will you be best in class in a specific area? Are you creating a new way of working? How will you care for your people? Is there a new product on the market?
This work takes more time than most teams are comfortable with at first. It takes a bit to align, and there is a lot of wordsmithing. And that is important. This is the compass the team, and the broader group living the strategy will use to make decisions.
“Start with the Ending” give yourself a well defined and meaningful future state condition. You will be amazed how the rest starts to fall into place.
The Song: ▶︎ Start with the Ending | David Wilcox
About David Wilcox: About Musician David Wilcox — David Wilcox