I do not know about the rest of y'all, but I have heard and/or seen beautiful strategies. They measure the boxes right, make sure the lines are straight, or heck they may even use software to produce it. Regardless, the execution is shotty at best. Especially, the higher up one climbs; it seems that all they want is a strategy. That's nice and all, but I still believe the real skill is in execution. Let's focus on getting that right first. Then maybe (and that's a big maybe) we can really lean into a strategy that's more than: creating and maintaining a customer base, successfully executing the product, service and/or promotion, and creating a team that gets this done.
Thanks so much, Hollis, for taking the time to point out the aphantasia group that might exist in each of our organizations. We could imagine it would be frustrating for a leader who thinks they are clearly communicating to all to discover there might still be blind spots.
Yes these sentences near the end made me write: "A great visual of the strategy is highly intuitive and encourages team members to grasp the whole picture of where the team is going, why, and how it will get there."
As I write: "That is, I cannot simply "envision how the team will operate in the new structure" or "picture this person in a new role," I need to ground change in logic – why is the change needed, how will the new process meet the need, how people will report to different people, and how outcomes will be measured. I can’t tell you the challenges I’ve faced endeavoring to translate visual information about an organizational change into logic when the logic isn’t readily apparent. There are people for whom asking questions seems obstructionist rather than simply an alternative way of processing."
The big picture gets lost in the grind. This post nails something every man leading in life or love needs to hear: a strategy without clarity is just chaos waiting to happen. Whether you're running a team or trying to navigate a relationship that feels more unpredictable than a thunderstorm, the principle is the same—clarity drives execution.
Take relationships, for example. Most men walk into them without a game plan, expecting things to ‘just work.’ But if you’re with someone whose behavior can shift on a dime, guess what? A clear strategy isn’t optional—it’s survival. And the same rule applies here: visualize the big picture. Map out where you’re heading, what actions matter most, and how those actions lead to the outcomes you want.
Because people remember what they see, they act on what they understand, and they achieve what they believe, visuals make the abstract actionable.
Good morning,
You make some good points.
A map is a useful tool to guide in decisions.
I do not know about the rest of y'all, but I have heard and/or seen beautiful strategies. They measure the boxes right, make sure the lines are straight, or heck they may even use software to produce it. Regardless, the execution is shotty at best. Especially, the higher up one climbs; it seems that all they want is a strategy. That's nice and all, but I still believe the real skill is in execution. Let's focus on getting that right first. Then maybe (and that's a big maybe) we can really lean into a strategy that's more than: creating and maintaining a customer base, successfully executing the product, service and/or promotion, and creating a team that gets this done.
Thank you for your time.
!! Not everyone has the capacity to visualize. I have written about the problems with this approach and who it leaves out of the conversation: https://hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/aphantasia-and-mental-modeling
Thanks so much, Hollis, for taking the time to point out the aphantasia group that might exist in each of our organizations. We could imagine it would be frustrating for a leader who thinks they are clearly communicating to all to discover there might still be blind spots.
Hollis,
Looks like you only read the title.
This doesn't have anything to do with visualizing in the way that you are arguing.
Did you even read it?
Yes these sentences near the end made me write: "A great visual of the strategy is highly intuitive and encourages team members to grasp the whole picture of where the team is going, why, and how it will get there."
As I write: "That is, I cannot simply "envision how the team will operate in the new structure" or "picture this person in a new role," I need to ground change in logic – why is the change needed, how will the new process meet the need, how people will report to different people, and how outcomes will be measured. I can’t tell you the challenges I’ve faced endeavoring to translate visual information about an organizational change into logic when the logic isn’t readily apparent. There are people for whom asking questions seems obstructionist rather than simply an alternative way of processing."
I’ve read it now three times and in fact I think my piece gets at how grounding change management in the visual is limiting.
The big picture gets lost in the grind. This post nails something every man leading in life or love needs to hear: a strategy without clarity is just chaos waiting to happen. Whether you're running a team or trying to navigate a relationship that feels more unpredictable than a thunderstorm, the principle is the same—clarity drives execution.
Take relationships, for example. Most men walk into them without a game plan, expecting things to ‘just work.’ But if you’re with someone whose behavior can shift on a dime, guess what? A clear strategy isn’t optional—it’s survival. And the same rule applies here: visualize the big picture. Map out where you’re heading, what actions matter most, and how those actions lead to the outcomes you want.