Group of young professionals engaged in a collaborative meeting in a modern office setting.

Use Customer Stories in Problem-Solving Workshops to Turn Ideas Into Action

Teams waste time in problem-solving workshops when they brainstorm without constraints, then avoid the hard pick—so nothing changes and customer trust keeps leaking. In this article, Jef Menguin shares how to use customer stories to drive disciplined action, not a brainstorming party. Apply the board, end with “Who owns this?” and “When will customers feel the difference?”, then share it at work so your workshops produce movement, not just motion.

Use Customer Stories in Problem-Solving Workshops to Turn Ideas Into Action Read More »

Team of stressed colleagues in an office dealing with paperwork chaos, asking for help.

The Tuesday Test: Will Your Strategy Still Matter When Real Work Hits?

Run the Tuesday Test before you approve another “priority list,” especially when you know Tuesday will bring escalations, politics, and shiny requests that melt your plan by lunch. Ask one brutal question—will this still matter on Tuesday?—then use the 3 prompts to name what will steal focus, what you’ll say no to, and what you’ll protect even when it costs you. If your strategy can’t survive Tuesday, it’s not strategy yet—it’s just a mood.

The Tuesday Test: Will Your Strategy Still Matter When Real Work Hits? Read More »

Scenic view of rice terraces with farmers in traditional wear during harvest season.

If You Can’t Say What “Winning” Looks Like, You Can’t Choose Anything

Sketch this when your strategy meeting ends with a long “fair” list—and you already feel the quiet panic because nothing got removed. If your team can’t describe what winning looks like, you can’t choose—you can only negotiate, and the calendar will hijack everything by Tuesday. Use the Winning Picture Test: describe the win as a clear picture, then ask which initiatives move that picture closer—anything that can’t answer it isn’t a priority.

If You Can’t Say What “Winning” Looks Like, You Can’t Choose Anything Read More »

Scroll to Top