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We present the fabled “Big Questions” of our BS LLC Spiritual Kickoff. Did we make these questions up? Absolutely not. In fact, we probably lifted them from a mentor or a former job or a design book. Good artists borrow, great artists steal. Here are the Q’s:
No, you don’t get to say “to make money” or “to increase value for our shareholders.” Because we’re going to follow up and ask you, “Why is it important to you as a company to make money the way you do?” This is all about discovering your purpose as a company or brand. It can be surprising when you learn that your peers have other reasons than you do.
What’s the goal for this assignment? This is tightly aligned with the previous question but different. The last question asks: Why do you want to grow up?
If your team isn’t passionate about its work, this question will be tricky. In that case, the right question is, “There is no passion,” and we can explore that one as it comes. However, assuming there is genuine motivation, we want to learn if there is an overarching tone or flavor to it that pervades your company or brand. This question is designed to get you talking about your culture.
Every company that makes enough revenue to keep the lights on and pay its employees has “anchor customers.” You know the ones; they are the customers that help you understand what you do well. Why are those customers enthusiastic about what you do?
Motivation gives rise to action. To take action, you need ideas. Tell us about these ideas. With this question, we pivot from the general to the specific. Do you have proprietary tech, unique processes, a worldview, a POV?
The features and characteristics of your product may be your differentiating factor. Your brand’s purpose may define your uniqueness. Or, you may realize that your product is “parity” and undifferentiated. We’ll discuss how hard to push on topics like “innovation” and “disruption.” Competitors: who are they and why are they worse or better than you at what you do?
You can answer this question from a couple of perspectives: “We aren’t as successful as we’d like to be, so we need the following.” Or, “We’re doing great things, and to keep doing great things, here’s what we need.”
This is another “centering” question. Here we are on a Zoom call, determining who we are and what we’re trying to accomplish. What exactly stands in the way of these goals?
Knowledgeable, inspired, and unified. We’ve heard from our peers and defined the undefinable one hundred twenty minutes later. What’s next? We explore yet another broad question to anchor us in reality: “What could possibly go wrong with this project?”
