Everyone wants a silver bullet.
An easy way to find the answer, to win, to outmaneuver the competition.
I have to admit, a silver bullet would make life easier in business, but a lot less interesting.
I find I am more interested in well worn and outfitted tool belts, you know, the ones with always a few spaces left for something new. The fun is figuring out what tool and approach fits the situation. To do that you need wisdom, which comes from a wonderful mix of experience, curiosity, openness and humility.
Recently I have learned a bit more about the tool of Jobs To Be Done and Jobs Theory. Jobs Theory is a way to get really clear on human needs. When you focus on struggles and circumstances you get specific enough to really see behaviors and needs. From there is is clearer where you need to go. Now that I have learned more about Jobs tools I have been integrating these into my design thinking practice and finding it useful. Seeing the world through struggles and circumstances is useful to seeing a path.
How you navigate that path forward depends.
Depends on where your brand is today and what its intention is for tomorrow. How you deliver on the needs, aka “job spec”, is a function of what the brand desires to become. You have to be clear on your positioning choices.
In addition, to discover the struggles and circumstances from which you can see needs you have to be viewing the situation from the human system perspective, design thinking tools and mindsets are essential. It takes a tool belt to do Jobs Theory well. It takes a tool belt to do Design Thinking well.
I encourage people to fully consider their tool belts. Have you added any new tools to it recently? Are you open enough to learn a new tool even when you love a trusted tool you have used for years? Are your partnering with experts who have great tool belts and the wisdom to use them? Something to think about.
Cindy
Take Action
Reflect: what new tool have you incorporated in how you solve your business challenges? What is new/emerging that you should learn.
Act: Make a plan to build your experience in that over the next 3-6 months.
