How Not Who … Who Not How
A brain teaser or just different optics?
Switching between these two paradoxical statements raises many questions that develop into a never ending circle, which is great as long as the outcome arrived at achieves a practical outcome.
“How Not Who"
The concept of "How Not Who" emphasizes the strategic execution and operational elements of a plan rather than fixating solely on the individuals involved. It suggests that success isn’t solely dependent on who is leading or involved in the execution, but rather on how effectively the strategy is implemented and the actions taken to achieve the desired outcomes. Premortems come to mind here.
Here are five thoughts in relation to this concept and why it's crucial in progressing a business strategy:
- Emphasis on Processes and Systems: "How Not Who" underscores the importance of having robust processes, systems, and frameworks in place to support the execution of business strategies. It prioritizes building a strong organizational infrastructure that can deliver results consistently, regardless of specific individuals.
- Reduced Dependency on Individuals: Relying too heavily on specific individuals can create vulnerabilities within an organization. The "How Not Who" approach encourages the development of teamwork, collaboration, and accountability, where success is not contingent on the presence or actions of a few key individuals.
- Scalability and Sustainability: A strategy built around "How Not Who" is inherently more scalable and sustainable. It allows businesses to replicate successful processes, adapt to changing circumstances, and withstand leadership changes or turnover without significant disruption.
- Focus on Execution Excellence: By prioritizing execution over individual personalities or leadership styles, organizations can maintain a sharper focus on achieving operational excellence. This involves aligning resources, setting clear goals, monitoring progress, and making necessary adjustments along the way.
- Mitigation of Risks: Over-reliance on specific individuals can pose risks to the business, such as key-person dependency or succession challenges. Adopting a "How Not Who" mindset helps mitigate these risks by distributing responsibilities, cross-training employees, and ensuring continuity in operations.
However, despite its benefits, the "How Not Who" approach may be ignored or undervalued for several reasons:
- Leadership Bias: Some stakeholders, particularly those in leadership positions, may believe that individual leadership qualities are the primary drivers of success. As a result, they may overlook the importance of building strong business capabilities and processes.
- Ego and Personalities: In environments where ego and personalities play a significant role, there may be a tendency to prioritize individuals over systems and processes. This can lead to resistance to change or reluctance to delegate authority.
- Short-Term Focus: Organizations focused on short-term results may prioritize immediate outcomes achieved through the actions of specific individuals rather than investing in long-term organizational development and resilience.
- Lack of Awareness: Some leaders may simply be unaware of the importance of the "How Not Who" approach or may lack the knowledge and resources to implement it effectively.
While the "How Not Who" approach may be essential for long-term success and resilience, it requires a shift in mindset and a commitment to building strong organizational capabilities.
“Who Not How”
The concept of "Who Not How" suggests that instead of trying to figure out how to accomplish a task or solve a problem yourself, you should focus on identifying the right people or resources who can do it for you. It emphasizes leveraging the expertise, skills, and capabilities of others to achieve desired outcomes more efficiently and effectively.
Here's five thoughts as to why Who is crucial in progressing a business strategy:
- Focus on Core Competencies: "Who Not How" encourages businesses to focus on their core competencies and delegate tasks outside of their expertise to specialists or external resources. This allows the organization to allocate its time and resources more efficiently and concentrate on activities that drive value and competitive advantage.
- Leverage Specialized Skills: By identifying the right people or resources for a particular task or project, businesses can tap into specialized skills and knowledge that they may not possess internally. This can lead to higher quality outcomes and faster execution, as well as innovative solutions to complex problems.
- Scalability and Flexibility: Leveraging external expertise or resources allows businesses to scale their operations more effectively and adapt to changing market conditions or business needs. Instead of being limited by internal capacity or skill gaps, organizations can access a broader pool of talent and capabilities as needed.
- Speed and Efficiency: Delegating tasks to the right people or resources can accelerate the execution of business strategies and initiatives. By avoiding the need to reinvent the wheel or learn new skills from scratch, businesses can achieve results more quickly and with fewer resources.
- Risk Mitigation: Collaborating with external partners or specialists can help businesses mitigate risks associated with unfamiliar or high-stakes projects. By leveraging the expertise and experience of others, organizations can reduce the likelihood of errors or missteps and increase the likelihood of success.
Interestingly the "Who Not How" approach may be ignored or undervalued for several reasons that lowers the benefits of this approach:
- Control Issues: Some leaders may be hesitant to relinquish control or delegate tasks to external parties due to concerns about quality, confidentiality, or loss of autonomy. This can lead to a reluctance to leverage external expertise or resources.
- Cost Considerations: Engaging external specialists or resources may involve additional costs that some businesses are unwilling or unable to bear. This can lead to a preference for in-house solutions, even if they are less efficient or effective in the long run.
- Lack of Awareness or Trust: Some leaders may not be aware of the benefits of the "Who Not How" approach or may lack confidence in the capabilities of external partners or resources. This can lead to a preference for familiar or internal solutions, even if they are suboptimal.
- Cultural Barriers: In some organizational cultures, there may be a bias towards self-reliance or a belief that outsourcing tasks or projects is a sign of weakness. This can create resistance to the "Who Not How" approach and hinder collaboration with external partners or specialists.
The "Who Not How" concept requires a willingness to collaborate, delegate, and leverage external expertise or resources. Those that embrace this approach are seen to be better positioned to achieve their strategic objectives more efficiently, effectively, and innovatively.
“Who Not How™” has recently been brought to the fore by Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach who has a book and his concept trademarked
All of this came to mind when I was recently asked to explain the concept of an Advisory Board to a business seeking to better understand its purpose, the outcomes possible and the potential return on investment. Their approach had been trying to work out who to choose to be a member of their advisory board rather than how the advisory board would actually function.
Which one you choose and act upon firstly is yours to decide.
That’s the concept behind your having an advisory board … providing new, provocative and alternative possibilities for business directors, managers and owners for them to go away, discuss and potentially make a decision on and thenact.
Look forward to hearing from you as to which of the paradoxes you choose to go with first and why.