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O P I N I O N
What do you believe?
I am continually confounded that the majority of “leaders” within the organizations Zweig Group does strategic planning with find it nearly impossible to articulate their current mission and vision, either personally or for their firm. People need something to rally behind. Identifying a mission for your firm is more than just a box to check when creating a strategic plan.
competition: The challenge is to compete against yourself. Metrics should be used to uncover your firm’s weaknesses rather than to beat the competition. It’s fine to tactically evaluate your “competition,” but you should not do so strategically. What you need to find is a firm that represents an opposed ideology that you can hold up to your team as an example of what not to be. “Things will only get harder if you fail to take some time for introspection in order to find the root cause of your problems. This is a continual process that needs to be revisited frequently. Don’t be afraid to look in the mirror.”
They find it difficult to describe their passion, their purpose, why they exist, or what they believe. They then go on to explain that they don’t trust their teams, don’t have anyone who could succeed them, don’t share information, and wonder why their number one problem is recruiting and retention. Then, they enjoy complaining about how it’s the millennials’ fault. That is, of course, the tip of the iceberg. Furthermore, when asked to define their mission, many want to know what other firms have done. They want to know how they compare to the industry. All of this highlights much larger systemic problems and philosophical deficiencies. Are you trying to be number one? Are you trying to win business or are you working to achieve a larger purpose? There are no agreed upon metrics, no universal rules, and there is no way to “win.” There is no such thing as beating your
Phil Keil
See PHIL KEIL, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER May 6, 2019, ISSUE 1295
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