The Best Strategy is Saying No

Most businesses don’t fail because they didn’t have ideas. They fail because they tried to do too much.Growth happens when you focus. That means saying no to the wrong customers, the wrong products, and even the wrong opportunities.

Here’s how I’ve learned to sharpen focus as a CEO:

• Stop chasing every dollar.If you’re saying yes to every customer type, you’re probably serving none of them well. Go deep, not wide.

• Set a 3-year “North Star.”What’s the business you’re building? Anything that doesn’t move you toward that is a distraction, no matter how tempting.

• Build a ‘Stop Doing’ list.Every quarter, review your products, tasks, and meetings. Cut or delegate what no longer drives results.

Remember: In strategy, the hardest work is subtraction. The best companies win by doing fewer things bet