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Hunt For Greatness-Milton Kamwendo
Do not complain about the pace of change. It is the new normal.
Growth comes through execution, adaptability and the ability to make things happen.
This is despite the fact that the path ahead may be unclear.
To deliver growth without excuses, choose to be a chief doing officer (CDO).
A CDO is a mindset and way of life.
It is not a job title reserved for a blessed few. It is a mind shift — shifting from endless planning to doing; shifting from rigid structures to agile strategies, as well as shifting from top-down leadership to collaborative networks.
In their 2019 book “Strategic Doing”, American legal scholar Edward Morrison and his co-authors have presented an inspiring framework for taking action that you can also adopt.
Progress is slowed by excessive planning, bureaucratic bottlenecks and overemphasis on analysis. Strategy and planning are essential, but they are meaningless without execution. Execution trumps ideas.
As a CDO, you must focus on action, embracing experimentation, and learn by doing.
Morrison’s “Strategic Doing” drives to the heart of what a CDO is and does.
Traditional strategic planning is too slow, linear and open to many surprises.
For growth, iteratively adapt to emerging opportunities.
The CDO mindset
To grow as a CDO, you must internalise and apply the following principles:
Collaboration over control
The CDO mindset requires a shift from a command-and-control approach to collaboration and valuing the people in your ecosystem. No one person has all the answers.
The best outcomes happen when diverse perspectives come together to co-create solutions. Build cross-functional teams. Encourage sharing and open communication. Use a tool like “30/30 meetings”. This is where team members spend 30 minutes reflecting on progress and 30 minutes identifying next steps.
You could look at what you did in the last 30 days and what you will do in the next 30.
Start with what you have
Stop all excuses and start with what you have. Leverage existing hidden and known assets. Do not get stuck waiting for the perfect conditions or resources to start. By using what you have, you do not need to be stuck in endless waiting. Identify your “hidden assets”. These could be skills, relationships or resources that can be mobilised immediately. Map your assets and explore how they can be combined to create value. Adopt a mindset of resourcefulness.
Think like a jazz master. Do not wait for what you lack. Start with what you have. Start without delay.
Take small, disciplined steps
The growth journey is rarely a straight line. Big, long-term plans often falter because they are inflexible.
The CDO approach involves taking small, deliberate steps. You learn from doing and adjust your approach as needed. You make progress even in the face of uncertainty. Break large goals into small, manageable actions. Use the “two-week sprint” method. Focus on completing a small, impactful task within a short time frame. Keep assessing what is working and pivot as needed.
Embrace experimentation
As a CDO, be comfortable with failure. It is a critical part of the learning process.
“Strategic Doing” encourages the “fail fast, learn faster” approach.
Experimentation allows you to test ideas, gather feedback and refine your strategy in real-time. Run small-scale experiments before committing to large initiatives. Do small pilots. Celebrate lessons learned from failure as much as successes. This causes innovation and bold action to thrive.
Align around simple rules
In complex environments, simplicity is key. A CDO sets a few clear, guiding principles that enable people to act autonomously, while staying aligned with the larger vision. “Strategic Doing” focuses on the use of “simple rules” to guide action without micromanagement. Develop a shared purpose statement that clearly articulates your “North Star”.
Establish three to five simple rules to guide decision-making and behaviour. Make it easy for everyone to know what the guardrails are. Ensure everyone understands the rules and how they apply to daily actions.
Agile strategy
An agile strategy is not about predicting the future; it is about adapting to it.
As a CDO, your role is to ensure that your strategy remains dynamic and responsive.
Engage your stakeholders continuously.
Engage your stakeholders early and often.
A CDO fosters relationships and ensures that everyone involved has a voice.
Host regular strategy review sessions to align goals and actions.
Use participatory tools like “asset mapping” to identify shared resources and opportunities. Build trust by emphasising transparency and accountability.Measure progress and performance in real-time. Go beyond the long-term after-effect metrics that do not capture immediate progress.
As a CDO, focus on real-time metrics that provide actionable feedback.
Your focus is doing and not just making impressions. Use key performance indicators and dashboards that you update frequently. Celebrate incremental wins to maintain momentum.
Develop the capacity to adapt and stay relevant. As a CDO, ensure that your team has the flexibility to adapt to new opportunities and challenges. This involves fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Regularly review and refine your strategy based on what is working. Encourage team members to build new skills and embrace change.
Create “learning loops” by reflecting on what was achieved, what was learned and what needs to change.
The growth journey is not about waiting for the perfect moment. Start where you are. Use what you have. Take that first step.
Doing beats mere talking. Start making things happen today.
Committed to your greatness.
Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author and accomplished workshop facilitator. He is a cutting-edge strategy, team-building and organisation development facilitator and consultant. His life purpose is to inspire and promote greatness. He can be reached at: [email protected]
