We Don’t Do That

“Can you also do _____?”

This question is the catalyst of dilution for product and service projects alike.

“Add this feature, someone asked for it” is the way to make a product unfocused, bloated, and unable to clearly resonate with the specific people it was designed to support. Confusing those you wish to serve serves no one.

“Include this service and we have a deal” is how service teams stay small. Progressive mastery in an area of genius requires spending more time solving the problems your choice of market is faced with. That means saying ‘No’ to the outliers who lure you away from your focus and your ability to be the best at what you do for whom you do it.

‘No’ is rarely an admission of insufficient skill or care.

But ‘Yes’ is often an admission of insufficient focus and care.

Take pride in what you do. Take pride in not doing what you don’t do.