Most companies don’t have a strategy. They have a list of things they’re willing to do.
Constraints create strategy.
If you try to do everything:
- Your team stays reactive.
- Your training never sticks.
- Your customers get inconsistent service.
- Your best people get tired.
What “no” creates
Saying no creates focus:
- We don’t take this type of work.
- We don’t accept these terms.
- We don’t start jobs without a kickoff.
- We don’t hire without a process.
Constraints feel limiting. They’re actually protective.
What to do this week
- Write down your top three bad-fit job types.
- Create one rule that prevents you from taking them.
- Communicate the rule internally and enforce it for 30 days.