What's Your Strategy?

“First you get the money, then you get the power…” – Tony Montana

One of my most favorite movies is Scarface with Al Pacino.  There’s somewhat of a cult following and it has produced some great one liners.  Growing up we all loved this movie.  And I suspect there are many my age well aware of Brian DePalma’s “anti-drug” drug movie.  Countless times we watched it when we were younger.  It wasn’t until recently that I began rewatching it, or at least having it play in the background while I plan out my week on a Sunday night.  “First you get the money, then you get the power…” is one of the memorable lines many have taken away from the movie.  It was only now that I realized that it’s not so much what Tony is saying but why he’s saying it.  Tony is giving his partner, Manolo Ribera nicknamed “Manny Ray” a glimpse into his personal strategy.

Yes, people need a strategy.  Being productive, scheduling block time, doing deep work, achieving goals and so on, will not be successful if there is no strategy in place.  Businesses operate the same way and they tend to fall under one of three strategies: Customer Service, Cost, or Quality.  Everything they do is based on that one strategy.  Amazon is 100% about customer service.  Jeff Bezos’ “Day 1” is a belief that Amazon needs to treat their customers like it’s the first day their business has opened.  The building where his office is located at Amazon HQ is even named Day One.  (It’s okay if you’d like to pause and Google ‘Jeff Bezos’ Day One.)  Apple is out to design high quality, beautiful products that consumers didn’t even know that they wanted.  Remember that they were the first to offer a smart phone with a retail price of $1,000.00.  Strategy is important because it dictates everything from operations, pricing, sales, and marketing.  Think of McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A.  McDonald’s adopts a cost strategy.  Their drive-thrus are designed with their profit margins in mind, their restaurants are staffed accordingly, and their commercials inform us of their latest “deal” or “2 for $3” special.  Chick-fil-A adopts a customer service strategy.  When you think of Chick-fil-A you default to “My Pleasure”.  They have more efficient drive-thrus, copious amounts of staff, and their commercials are stories on how their employees went above and beyond for their customers.  They barely show their food.

Productive people must adopt a strategy which I believe comes down to one of three: Money, Power, or Influence.  I believe that in order to be “productive” and achieve goals you have to clearly decide which one you want to pursue.  The natural response is that we all want all three and that one may lead to another.  For example, you make a lot of money, that allows you to be powerful, hence making you influential.  That’s the Tony Montana logic.  Although, I believe that such examples are the exceptions, not the norm.  Many work in thankless jobs and volunteer their time.  If you happily volunteer your time (remember time is finite) then you are pursuing influence through service.  If you are always eager to do more so you can make more, then your strategy is likely money.  I would also tend to argue that people that pursue public office and stay in public office may have a strategy of power.  Acknowledging your strategy will better guide your decisions on how you spend your finite amount of time.  Similar to how a business strategy dictates everything you do, pursue, achieve, and value, so does your personal strategy.  Often, without us even knowing it.

To determine your strategy, you will need to do some self-reflection.  I have written much about tools and tips to plan your next day or week or month but we also need to take a moment to reflect and think about where you did spend your finite time.  Why haven’t I crossed the finish line on this project?  Why haven’t I accomplished said goal?  If you haven’t started that business plan yet, where did you spend that time?  If it was helping others or volunteering or community organizing, maybe a business plan doesn’t fit your strategy.  It’s okay to think back and ask where you spent your finite time.  Acknowledge your strategy, accept your roles and responsibilities, and schedule your time.  If you do, you just may find yourself accomplishing more with less effort because it will be what you’re meant to be doing.