This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans (Create a Strategy to Elevate Your Career, Community & Life)

by Seth Godin

When we combine systems, game theory, and feedback loops, we can begin to see how our actions influence behaviors over time. Here are some of the precepts of strategic impact. • Think ahead and reason back: When we know who it’s for, what it’s for, and how we hope to get there, we can start at the end and work backward for where to begin. • The empathy of a mutual win: We can avoid oppositional entanglements when we choose to work with people and systems that want to win something we don’t care so much about, especially when they offer us something we do care about. • Trust and expectation: Follow through on commitments and threats to maintain credibility and influence others’ behavior. Tension is real if we are consistent. • Make the consequences intended: Consider the potential unintended consequences of your strategies, as they may lead to suboptimal outcomes. • Leverage information asymmetry: Use your unique knowledge or information to your advantage, but be aware that others may be doing the same. • Create and shape the rules of the game: If you choose to play in an arena where you have influence over the rules, it’s more likely you will achieve your goals. Don’t count on winning games that are stacked against you. • Manage expectations: Experiences are largely relative. If it’s better than expected, it’s better. • Foster cooperation through repetition: Encourage cooperation by engaging in repeated interactions and building a reputation for reciprocity. • All...