Succeeding in business today is like solving a living jigsaw puzzle.
It is massively complex and complicated.
You can approach the challenge in one of two ways.
Employ a “top-down” design.
Start with an image of what the solved puzzle should look like.
Then use that image to decide which pieces to add.
And, more importantly, which to ignore.
That was Steve Jobs’ approach.
He had a very clear picture of the future.
And of how he was going to create it.
He carefully arranged each and every piece of the Apple puzzle to bring that picture to life in a powerful and believable way.
Jeff Bezos is taking a similar approach with the Amazon puzzle.
Others take a bottom-up approach.
They have a vague idea of the future.
So they look at every puzzle piece that gets tossed in front of them.
And try to force fit those pieces to create something of value.
Before they run out of money and passion.
Eistenin said that it is the theory that decides what can be observed.
Henry Ford wrote that his cars were “concrete evidence of the working out of a theory of business.”
What’s your theory of the marketplace and your unique place in it?
Sure, you can stay busy creating new “stuff.”
Rearranging what you see in an attempt to stand out.
Or you can start with a theory.
One colored by a deep empathy for the people you hope to serve.
Then you’ll see the marketplace with new eyes.
And those new eyes will guide you and your people to a new future.
