A compass tells you your direction. A map shows you the planned route. Terrain awareness keeps you in the real world.
Most leaders lean on one at the expense of the others. The best use all three.
Without a compass—your values and purpose—you drift. Decisions get made for the wrong reasons, and it’s hard to know when you’ve actually won.
Without a map—a real strategy—you’re guessing. I’ve seen too many companies throw things at the wall, try whatever’s new, and burn energy without ever building momentum. A plan gives you focus, even if it’s imperfect.
Without terrain awareness—the market, competitors, customer feedback, changing conditions—your map becomes a relic. I’ve also seen the strategic plan that got laminated and shelved, while decisions still ran on gut or instinct. Conditions change. Opportunities appear. A good strategy adapts to the ground beneath you.
All three have to work together.
The goal isn’t to follow the map blindly. It’s to stay oriented and agile.
Ask: Are we using our compass? Is the map still right? What’s the terrain telling us?
Let’s rework how you work!
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From the SmartWork Bulletin