Tools over toys

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Last one! The third and final scenario I see most in Clarity Workshops. Symptom checkers give us answers about what’s up. It’s possible what you’re experiencing is not a one-off fluke but rather, a diagnosable, curable tension. So last but not least, the third of 3:

Diagnosis: Missing or misaligned systems

Of the 3 scenarios we’ve discussed, organizations that have vision and strategy but not systems are the most likely to achieve their vision. They know specifically where they’re going. They have strategies to know they’re on the way. But the journey feels like chaos. Being a part of these teams feels frantic and scattered. These are teams employees are drawn to (because they articulate a shiny vision and can report on growth) and then quickly hate or quit because the work is so stressful and confusing.

If strategies are your checkpoints, systems are your guardrails. They need to keep you moving down the right road and make it difficult for you to drive this thing off a cliff.

Causes:

One cause is the very common desire to avoid the uncomfortable investment of setting up and learning something new. Change is yucky. Tools can be hard. We like what we like. Creating a system that really works for you is going to be an investment.

Another cause is that systems can feel like shiny toys instead of useful tools. Some founders set up new ones for funsies when something else yucky or confusing is going on. They end up with redundant or disconnected platforms that actually make work more confusing or inefficient.

Symptoms:

In the case of missing or misaligned systems, you may see some or all of the following symptoms:

• Your workday feels scattered rather than intentional, probably including sticky notes & scattered lists.

• You understand the goal for this season but you’re not sure what you’re working on tomorrow.

• You have lots of systems that, while beautiful on their own, don’t connect to each other and require manual work from you to maintain.

• Lots of communication is required to figure out whose doing what & what has been done, maybe even in spite of lots of existing systems.

• You have dashboards or task managers set up that you haven’t checked in months.

• You have clear values for your business (like work/life balance or a certain client profile) but upholding these takes lots of effort and moves against the current.

• The ideal projects or clients do not seamlessly work with your existing systems or workflows.

If that sounds like you then first let me tell you - you’re not alone. I know that because this sounds like me! And I know that the scatter can feel uncomfy and exhausting. But (talking to myself here too), you bring your own magic to this thing that doesn’t have to - in fact really should not - look just like someone else’s. We just need to get you some better tools; some guardrails. So that it’s a little easier to stick to this game plan without accidentally driving off the road.

Treatment:

You need systems that work for you. You don’t work for the systems. Remember, these are tools to support your business, not toys for play! If they’re taking more time than they’re saving you, whether by digging up sticky notes or by platform hopping, then they aren’t doing their job. Do you see why you have to have the vision & strategies in place first? Systems will never work for you unless you design them with your vision, values, and work in mind.

How to put this to work:

1. What slows you down?

   Look for the systems & processes that slow you down or feel tedious. Do they increase your impact? Save you time? Do they minimize errors? If none of those are a “yes” then you probably need to scrap or dramatically revise this system.

2. What do you forget?

   If there are tasks you consistently forget to do or platforms you set up and then forgot about, you need some alerts! Look for automations & notifications that can help ensure the time you put into your systems comes back to you.

3. Check your bank.

   We’ve all subscribed to something and forgotten about it. If you haven’t looked at a bank statement recently go do that. Cancel whatever subscriptions you’re not actively using.

This Cool systems Thing I Found

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I’m Laura Green - a strategist empowering creative leaders to build businesses they love. My work focuses on crafting actionable insights, scalable strategies, and proven systems to find more impact and less friction. I want you to have the clarity, confidence, and energy to make good stuff happen, to drive profit, and to get back to doing the work you love. As for me - I love charts, good beer, nerdy nature books, and sneakers. When I’m not spinning up spreadsheets, you can find me gardening, hanging with my wonderfully wild kids, or sneaking in a nap. ✌️