Be Strategic First: A Warrior-Preneurs Way

I often teach my clients about the power and importance of strategy. But unless you take one of my “in person” classes, or coach with my privately, or get to know me, you might not realize where the power of strategy comes from for great warriors (or me!). One great warrior, Ulysses S Grant was known for saying “trust AND verify”. (Not trust but verify, different warrior- and VERY different meaning!!). I embraced this YEARS ago when I heard it. To me it meant that I had to trust my instincts first, verify them, then execute–>that is VERY strategic.

Surprisingly, some people think that strategy has nothing to do with intuition. I strongly disagree! To me that is what “trust AND verify” means. Great strategists TRUST their instincts FIRST, then verify those instincts and develop a plan. Strategy is a necessary part of business success. James Brian Quinn says that “small businesses too need to develop strategies in order to use their limited resources to compete effectively.” For me, as a small business owner, appreciating what a great warrior in battle had to do to be strategic is powerful. They didn’t have a board of advisers to bounce ideas off first. They had to learn to trust and verify -instinct and plan- quickly and effectively. See, great strategists in today’s business world have to consider the predictable, the unpredictable and the unknowable, and using instinct can help that process. This means that strategy requires you look beyond current practice. What better to trust but your instincts to achieve that?

There are several challenges to be strategic first:

1-For most warrior-preneurs the biggest is to trust and verify more quickly.

2-Listen to that inner voice; realize what it’s telling you about what you need to do next and not rationalizing it away.

3-Get over needing to know everything BEFORE deciding. The unpredictable and unknowable require that you do so.

4-Strategy is flexible, but not random.

 

Ann Evanston, MA, has been named by About.com as one of the Top Six Marketing Consultants, Feb 2011, and recognized in the Huffington Post for her unique approach in using Facebook to increase profits though giving. In October 2008 Ann created the Social Networking Coaching Club, a forum where you get personalized support to learn how to “discover your REAL edge” and make more online in less time with integrity.
  • Ron Hori

    I posted a question on Facebook recently.  “What is more important: strategy or action?”
    The answers were half and half, some people said both.  In his public seminars Eric Lofholm poses the question, then answers that strategy is more important.  Strategy determines what are the best actions to achieve the strategic results.  Strategy without action gets you nowhere.
     

  • http://irene-turner.com Irene Turner

    I so agree Ann. I am a meditator and in that practice have grown to “hear” my internal voice easier then I ever did before. It is that voice that I listen to first when thinking strategically. And then of course, you did teach me the art of social networking…thanks again: )

  • Joan Autry

    Ann, I really connected with the following: “For me, as a small business owner, appreciating what a great warrior in battle had to do to be strategic is powerful. They didn’t have a board of advisers to bounce ideas off first. They had to learn to trust and verify -instinct and plan- quickly and effectively.” I am inspired by that. I am also encouraged by the notion that my instincts are as valuable a resource as any other at my disposal. I’m with Sheila! That voice in my head needs to be heeded–and honored! It can lead to great things!

  • Joan Autry

    Ann, I really connected with the following: “For me, as a small business owner, appreciating what a great warrior in battle had to do to be strategic is powerful. They didn’t have a board of advisers to bounce ideas off first. They had to learn to trust and verify -instinct and plan- quickly and effectively.” I am inspired by that. I am also encouraged by the notion that my instincts are as valuable a resource as any other at my disposal. I’m with Sheila! That voice in my head needs to be heeded–and honored! It can lead to great things!

  • http://www.warrior-preneur.com Ann Evanston

    Intuition is only step one in strategy though, important to this post.

  • http://www.warrior-preneur.com Ann Evanston

    really has nothing to do with strategy though. And I personally find if people need the guarantee, I didn’t do my job explaining the benefits.

  • http://www.ourlittlebooks.com Candace C. Davenport

    Nice Ann. I especially like point #3. I think too many people get it in their minds that it is necessary to have all the ducks in a row before making their move. Opportunities are lost because of that. Sometimes, given your instinct and verification, you just have to go for it!

    Candace Davenport
    http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ~ Little Books with a Big Message

  • http://www.aliciadunams.com Alicia Dunams

    As service and/or product providers, providing a guarantee is a great way to help people “get over the need to know everything BEFORE deciding.” If you offer the outcomes the client needs, plus a guarantee, you are offering them a no-risk solution so they don’t need to know the how. If they still have reservations, they either don’t trust you to provide the outcome they need or they are not ready to move forward (financially, emotionally, etc.).

  • http://www.brandymychals.com Brandy Mychals

    Hi Ann,
    My favorite parts – “strategy is flexible but not random” and that we don’t need to know everything before deciding…so true! I rely on my intuition (I call them “hits”) and am very strategic in my work and life. Thank you for the reminder!
    Brandy Mychals
    Speaker, Author, Communications Coach
    Creator of the Character Code System

  • http://MagnoliaJazz.com/blog Robbie Schlosser

    Thanks, Ann. Powerful post, that I’ll return to many times. I’ve just re-read it a dozen times, each one prompting new insights. I especially like your points #3 and #4, urging flexibility and the willingness to act on limited information, but with eyes wide open. I’m struck by the similarity to how I make music. Jazz has been called “the sound of surprise”, for how it relies on our intuition to generate a triumph.
    Robbie

  • http://home-decorating-makeovers.com/ Jennifer Duchene

    Brilliantly put Ann. You know how I feel about Ann’s brain! I am learning to trust much quicker and to believe and to plan. Feels powerful.

    Jennifer Duchene
    Home Makeover Mixtress blending lifestyle laughter and Diva Dens
    http://LYShome.com

  • http://www.PatZahn.com Pat Zahn

    Wow, I’ve known for quite a while that I’m intuitive and often say that “I trust my gut,” but I’ve never thought of it as part of the strategy process. I do think I need to verify better. When I’m not being strategic, I waffle between acting impulsively and #3 (I swear you wrote that one for me.) I recently had an experience that was somewhat related to my business but also in the realm of personal. I did not trust my instinct and ended up letting down a friend – always, ALWAYS trust that instinct, and know that one little question (to verify) was all that was needed.

  • Sharonhiebing

    I learned a long time ago to “listen to my gut.” It has rarely served me wrong. When I’ve ignored it, things usually went quite horribly. Intuition is so powerful in the solo-preneur’s world. I love, Ann, where you say we don’t “have a board of advisors to bounce ideas off of first.” That’s so true. Trust & verify is a great motto to live your life and run your business by.

    Sharon Hiebing
    Follow Your Dream Compass
    http://www.wealthships.com

  • Anonymous

    Well said Ann. In his book “The Laws of Success”, Napoleon Hills stated that the most successful people of his time had learned to tap into their sixth sense–the intuition. He says “A genius is a man who has discovered how to increase the intensity of thought to a point where he can freely communicate with sources of knowledge not available through the ordinary rate of thought”.

    I believe that we should all exercise that mental muscle, intuition, and base our decision making not only on our accumulated knowledge, but combine it with what we sense with our intuition.

    Rachel Lavern
    Personal Transformation, Enlightenment and Development Coach
    “Live without limits because nothing is impossible to you.”

  • http://ritabrennanfreay.com Rita Brennan Freay

    I believe I have good instincts…and follow them for the most part. There have been occasion where I let the chatter in my head (rationalizing it away) or from others get the better of me and I second guess myself, or don’t follow it, and usually I regret it. Gut feelings apply in all aspects of life…not just business. All of these points are great….feel the need to trust and verifly more quickly is so important…and I especially love #3….been there…we don’t/can’t know everything! Oh how this can slow you down….to a crawl if you are not aware of it. As always, thanks for your informative & helpful advice.

    Rita Brennan Freay
    @Rita4kids
    ritabrennanfreay.com

  • Debbie

    Wow! This post spoke to me today in a very personal way. Thank you!

  • Donna McCord

    Intuition is huge! my husband laughs at me sometimes, but he has learned over the years to respect and trust what my (and his too) gut is telling me (him). The verification process is sometimes a challenge, but I like how you describe the importance of not just randomly planning a strategy, of considering the unpredictable and the unknowable along with the predictable. For me, I find the most difficult part of developing strategy is #3 above…getting over the need to know everything before deciding; the unpredictable and unknowable can be scary. Thank you for confirming how important it is to move beyond those fears.

  • http://www.thereflectivewriter.com/blog/ Judy Stone-Goldman

    Just love #2 and #3 – to really listen to that voice and not dismiss it. When I was new to online I lost my connection to myself and have slowly been coming back to that trustworthy voice. Then #3 – to act, to not need to know everything. That bypasses perfectionism and creates results.

    Flexible but not random–wonderful way to think about living and working.

    Judy Stone-Goldman
    The Reflective Writer
    “My cat owns me, my clutter stymies me, my writing frees me. Word maven loves—and learns from—ordinary life.”
    http://www.thereflectivewriter.com/blog/

  • http://www.alaracastell.com Alara Castell

    I’m all about listening to my gut. I notice when I don’t then my day is not as powerful, but when I do it seems to flow nicely. I love how you combined intuition and strategy. Thank you.

    Alara K. Castell
    Your Sassy Spiritual Guide

  • http://twitter.com/MaridelBowes Maridel Bowes

    I’ve never heard strategy and intuition/instinct put together in this way–and it rings so true! Could we call it a “intuitive strategist?” I like that because the intuition or instinct does come first followed by a strategy that is in snyc with the feeling. I especially like #3 as that’s where it’s easiest to stop the flow of the process.
    Thanks for another stellar business paradigm.

  • http://sheilathorpe.wordpress.com SheilaThorpe

    So true.
    I have good instincts generally.
    My bigger problem comes from ‘talking myself into’ what is sometimes seems to be the more sensible option…only to find my first instincts were correct and I often end up kicking myself for being led astray. That voice in my head needs to be listened to.

  • http://www.susan-berland.com/ Susan Berland

    I love what you say about intuition. I’ve learned in my life to trust my intuition and when I do, I usually “win.” What is new to me is the “and verify.” What sage advise. And very strategic! I also like that you don’t have to know everything. That can be an avoidance tactic. Thanks again, Ann, for being a wise warrior-preneur.

    Susan Berland
    A Picture’s Worth
    http://www.susan-berland.com

  • Fiona Stolze

    I so agree with this Ann. I always listen to my gut and take action accordingly. Even though it may seem strange to others around me. It’s sometimes hard to catch that quiet voice within but it’s always there. And what you said about not needing to know everything beforehand is so important. I’ve found myself saying yes to things I know nothing about but my intuition has clearly told me that I’m on the right path. And so I trust in that.

    Fiona Stolze
    Inspired Art and Living
    http://fionastolze.com

  • http://louiseedington.com Louise Edington

    So completely true! I lost using my intuition for a while but it’s getting stronger every day now and it never fails! Journaling and meditating to let that out is helping me loads too. I’m also getting better at the verify part as I am really thinking like a business person and putting plans and goals together. Of course we all know where I learned most of this – through you!
    Louise Edington
    Fearless Over Fifty
    http://louiseedington.com

  • http://www.fierceover50.com Julie Labes

    I think it is much easier to recognize a “negative” gut instinct than a positive one..We might know ‘when something doesn’t feel right” but many times when something does feel right, we can tend to ignore that feeling..put it down to ‘wishful thinking etc. We need to pay as much attention to those feelings, do the due diligence and then build our plans around them

    Julie Labes,…The Fierce over 50 feels much younger point and click junkie loves to travel does not use a jogging stroller and before you ask this is NOT my granddaughter..Woman

  • http://www.mywealthspa.com Darcie Newton

    This holds true in the investment world too. I tell my clients all the time that when they are making a decision about what type of assets to purchase, they need to first listen to what their gut tells them…if there is disbelief that the projected returns are possible, there is a reason, find out what that reason is before you act. Then if your gut is telling you that it is a good move…verify…do your due diligence to verify that the people you are dealing with are reputable and the asset has a proven track record. Both steps are equally important, ignore one and you cut your probability for success in half.

    Your lessons apply to so many aspects of life, Ann. Thanks.

    Darcie Newton
    Wine not whine.
    More nature than nurture.
    Discipline for profit, none for triple creme brie.
    http://www.mywealthspa.com

  • http://www.lauriehurleyonline.com Laurie Hurley

    Oh, the power of intuition! I so agree with your comments. Strategy is important, for sure, but that little voice inside one’s head or the great (or sinking) feeling in the gut can be so powerful. I go with my instincts first and hope all turns out OK in the end. If it doesn’t I didn’t listen hard enough.

  • shoshanna nutritionevolution

    I couldn’t agree more! INTUITION is such a huge part of what we do. Go with your gut, it always knows…