Be An Ecosystem Thinker

Ecosystem thinkers see everything in context.

Do you ever listen to Open Account? I highly recommend it. A recent episode explored emotional investment in the context of the entrepreneur. And in it, I heard Dan Teran, co-founder of Managed By Q, explain how they think of themselves as "ecosystem thinkers."

Dan's example: while cutting a bonus could have great results for the margin, that bonus could've gone to paying for child care for a mom who now has to miss work which results in unhappy customers...it's not the smartest business move.

And that's ecosystem thinking. What a powerful idea. And it doesn't just apply to entrepreneurs. Intrapreneurs, and that should be everyone who's not in business for themselves, can apply it, too.

Thinking about more than the bottom line to fully understand the context of each decision.

What if we applied ecosystem thinking to our marketing? Yes, getting that email out next week might appease XYZ stakeholders. But is that email really going to delight or even be useful to your intended audience? And if not, what will that mean for your relationship with your tribe in the long run?