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Shreyas Doshi Profile picture
@shreyas
Oct 15, 2020 • 17 tweets • 4 min read • Read on X
Most Execution problems are really
1) Strategy problems, or
2) Interpersonal problems, or
3) Culture problems

Good leaders execute well because they understand this. They fix the root problem.

Bad leaders struggle because they are always applying band-aids.
Of course, at times it is a real Execution problem.

Real Execution problems include:
A) Funding constraints
B) Team skill gaps
C) Tool issues
D) Org structure
E) Process problems
F) External dependencies
G) Technical complexity
H) Coordination complexity
In the majority of cases though, what is initially expressed as an Execution problem isn't an Execution problem at all.

It's more convenient to point a finger at these Execution problems when the root cause is actually a Strategy / Interpersonal / Culture problem.
Why?
People want to believe they are smart and reasonable.

So, if our Execution problem is really a Strategy problem, what does that say about how smart we are?

If our Execution problem is really an Interpersonal problem, what does that say about how reasonable we are?
That's why secure & self-aware leaders are so vital to an organization's success. The onus is on these leaders to identify & express the real problem so teams can be better positioned to serve the mission & vision.
I often hear from leaders:
"Our strategy is solid. The team just needs to prioritize better, work on things that matter"

Me:
"So what is your strategy?"

Them:
<ramble for several minutes>

Me:
"Are you sure everyone on your team understands this strategy?"

Them:
"Hmmm🤔..."
If teams are repeatedly failing at prioritizing properly, that is either because you don't have a sound strategy ("trying to do too many things") or because you haven't communicated it in a way that is compelling, memorable, and narratable ("strategy that is hard to act on").
The most common Execution problem cited by managers the world over: "We don't have enough resources to do what we need to do"

An apparent lack of resourcing is more often a symptom of the underlying malaise than it is the cause. Lack of strategic cohesion is often the real issue
People often view problems through an Execution lens (rather than a Strategy / Interpersonal / Culture lens) because Execution problems seem easier & quicker to solve. When building products, this tendency can lead to profound damage over the long term
What good managers & leaders do
It's crucial to note that Problem Solving is really Problem Trading. And all problems need not be solved
Some more observations about teams & companies
The relationship between Market, Strategy, and Execution
The essence of product work
A thread on what is NOT strategy
Back to the top of this thread:
And if people take away only one thing from this thread, let it be this @taylorswift13 quote:

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More from @shreyas

Shreyas Doshi Profile picture
Mar 30, 2023
Product life in midsized & large companies starts making a lot more sense when you understand that a large % of middle & upper management thinks their main job is to (i) try & decipher what the CEO wants done (ii) align their org with it (iii) propose a plan that the CEO approves
This is instead of *often* telling the CEO what actually needs to be done, in a way that is grounded in (a) deep insight into customers & market (b) creative product & GTM solutions

Many in middle & upper management will of course blame incentives set by the company for this.
And they are not wrong. But it is worth evaluating how much of one’s career (and life) one wants to spend in aligning perfectly with incentives set by another party.

20% or 50% or 70% or 90% or 99% or 100%?

What is your answer?
Read 6 tweets
Shreyas Doshi Profile picture
Mar 7, 2023
Those who don’t understand the great value of instinct call it luck.
Useful to understand
Also useful to understand
Read 4 tweets
Shreyas Doshi Profile picture
Mar 3, 2023
Everything we create, everything we do, it all starts with our thinking

Clear thinking drastically improves odds of success in all departments of career & life

While clear thinking is quite rare, it can be developed with practice

Advanced principles for clear thinking:

(1/12)
1) Essence first. Not story. Not analogy

Most people get seduced by great analogies & exciting stories.

Clear thinkers don’t *form* their thinking via analogies. They identify the essence of the issue, in their specific context. Then, they use analogies as one of their inputs.
2) WAYRTTD

“What Are You _Really_ Trying To Do” is a simple but powerful tool to make you pause & identify your real goal

Most people move too quickly to How & When to do a given task. But the task isn’t the goal

Clear thinkers have built a habit of asking themselves WAYRTTD.
Read 19 tweets
Shreyas Doshi Profile picture
Feb 23, 2023
Apple Pie Position:
A statement that instantly elevates the person who is saying it and is simultaneously hard for anyone else to push back on, and so everyone avoids the personal risk and just nods “yes”, even though its actual value in this specific situation might be… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Okay, so now that you understand Apple Pie, here’s your crash course on dealing with Apple Pie:

1) The greatest thing about Apple Pie Positions is that you now have a name to assign to a complex behavior (and it is a cute name, which helps a lot). Once you share this idea with… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
One other important thing:

Note that Apple Pie Positions are, by definition, specific to the context. This means that the same sentence can be either the right thing to focus on, or it can be an Apple Pie Position. The way you determine which is which is through good judgment.
Read 5 tweets
Shreyas Doshi Profile picture
Feb 17, 2023
Which book would sell more copies?

Business (auto)biography 1:
Failure 1, Failure 2, Hit rock bottom, Success 1, Failure 3, Wild success

Business (auto)biography 2:
Mild success, Major success, Mild failure, Mild challenges, Wild success

(Wild success being the same in both)
Now, imagine you must choose to live one of these lives.

Which one would you choose?

(note: you *must* choose one of these, you have no other option)

(think & be honest to yourself)

(this is a thought experiment for you only, so pick one, don’t reply with “it depends”)
After you’ve answered both questions (and seen the both poll results), share what if anything one might conclude from this.

You can make it finely granular (e.g. what you conclude about yourself) or coarsely granular (e.g. what you conclude about society/media/critical thinking)
Read 4 tweets
Shreyas Doshi Profile picture
Feb 13, 2023
Failure is the absolute worst way to learn something and sadly so many people spend their entire lives under the illusion that failure is the best way to learn anything.
Read 7 tweets

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