The giant that ate clouds
Pre-strategy discussion - consider what you need for success...everyone is on the same page.
- Steps
- 3
- Last edited
- Jan 11, 2024
- Created by
- Nova
About this process
Evaluate and discuss your current state and resources with your team. Begin exploring new approaches while reevaluating old ones. Actively consider what you need for success before defining your strategy. This tool is ideal for fostering critical thinking, sparking initial discussions without delving into details. Its purpose is to bring everyone together, encouraging them to share their knowledge, express concerns, and gain visibility on available resources. Overall, it serves as a unifying tool, ensuring everyone is on the same page. What would you discuss: Objectives Strategy People Processes Cash/Budget As well as: Things you need. Blockers and things that are not working Improvements and productivity Costs Results and expectations You can choose between 2 templates. The Giant that Ate Clouds
The process in detail
3 steps- 1
The Giant that Ate Clouds - Introduction
- 2
Discussion
- 3
5 Factors.
Read the full text
1. The Giant that Ate Clouds - Introduction
Once upon a time, there was a giant who was told to dream big. And he did! His ambition was to be the tallest and strongest giant in his kingdom. He took this aspiration so seriously that he consistently imagined how tall he could be, constantly looking up to the skies.
However, in his relentless pursuit of height, he forgot to look down and started eating clouds. Over the years, he remained devoted to the same dream, consuming more and more clouds. As time passed, other giants surpassed him in height and strength. Undeterred, he consumed even more clouds. Exhausted, he began to shrink, and his dream seemed to slip further away.
One day, feeling disheartened, he looked down and saw the oldest and wisest woman in town. She, who had always been there, but he never saw her - spoke to him: "You forgot to consider how you will achieve your dreams. You ate clouds because that was all you could see, but your path to growth starts at the bottom, remains with constancy, and becomes reality with critical thinking."
😇🔥This short story is a reminder of how important it is to evaluate your current situation and look around at the resources you have and the actions you have taken to learn from them. This way, you can choose not to do more of the same but to do less of what doesn't work and try something new. A dream is just a dream without a plan, and it will never become true without critical thinking applied in the strategy.
This framework has the intention to help you discuss your current state, where you will start, and the resources you have. Once that's done, you will move on to evaluate which of the things you have done are like clouds that are just not benefiting you and are preventing you from seeing what you have in front of you. Afterward, you can discuss what things you can keep doing and what to start doing.
2. Discussion
Let's start the discussion.
3. 5 Factors.
💯💣Company (& Team) Goals:
What does the company want to achieve in the next one to three years?
🔥Strategy:
What set of differentiating actions will help the company grow and achieve their goals.
💥Process:
How are you and your team going to execute those actions? What team norms and routines will help you provide clarity and move faster? What works at your company, and what processes have to be followed to ensure the process is fair and clear to all but also scalable?
👨🔬🧑🔧🤴People:
Who has the passion, knowledge, and expertise to execute the strategy and follow the process? Is the team leveraging its collective intelligence?
👀💚Cash:
How long will it take to cycle cash back to your account after you spend a dollar on utilities, payroll, marketing, etc.? What's the budget for the marketing team? How are you planning to invest that budget, and what's the expected Return on investment?
- Objective
- General notes
- What should we start doing? Why? Which of these options can really help us achieve that objective? For how long should we try? Additionally, what resources and support will be required during this trial period?
- What do we need to leave behind and store? Discuss all the learnings.
- What should we do? What are the next steps? How can we measure success and progress in implementing these steps?
- 5 Factors Company & Marketing Goals: What does the company want to achieve in the next one to three years?
- Strategy: What set of differentiating actions will help the company grow and achieve their goals?
- Process: How are you and your team going to execute those actions? What team norms and routines will help you provide clarity and move faster?
- People: Who has the passion, knowledge, and expertise to execute the strategy and follow the process? Is the team leveraging its collective intelligence?
- Cash: How long will it take to cycle cash back to your account after you spend a dollar on utilities, payroll, marketing, etc.?