Before committing resources, rallying his team, or launching a new initiative, Dr. Smith Ezenagu stops and applies this three-step filter. Each question ensures that his choices stay aligned with vision, values, and measurable impact—setting the stage for success.
1. “How Does This Advance Our North-Star Purpose?”
Dr. Smith’s North-Star is the overarching mission that unites all Esso ventures—ethical innovation, community upliftment, and principled leadership.
- Why He Asks It: To prevent mission drift.
- What It Reveals: If the proposal (e.g., new market entry, partnership, product launch) fails to clearly tie back to that mission, it’s paused or reframed.
- Action Tip: Frame every initiative in a single sentence: “This moves our mission forward by…,” and only proceed when it’s both crisp and compelling.
2. “What’s the Measurable Win—and How Will We Track It?”
Vague goals breed ambiguity. Dr. Smith insists on concrete Outcomes paired with clear success metrics—revenue targets, compliance scores, engagement rates, or policy wins.
- Why He Asks It: To ensure accountability from day one.
- What It Reveals: Whether the team shares a unified understanding of “done” and has a system for real-time progress monitoring.
- Action Tip: Define one key metric (e.g., “Enroll 200 new Academy students,” “Secure two policy endorsements”) and specify the reporting cadence and dashboard you’ll use.
3. “Do We Have the Right Squad & Safeguards in Place?”
Strategy without structure falters. Dr. Smith pairs each major decision with a cross-functional “Growth + Governance” squad—marketing, operations, legal/compliance, and finance.
- Why He Asks It: To surface blind spots and balance ambition with risk management.
- What It Reveals: Whether all perspectives are represented, potential pitfalls are flagged, and necessary controls (e.g., licensing approvals, budget sign-offs) are built into the plan.
- Action Tip: Create a one-page “Action Charter” listing team members, roles, compliance checkpoints, and clear decision-making protocols before moving forward.
Conclusion
By rigorously filtering every significant choice through these three questions—purpose alignment, measurable impact, and structured accountability—Dr. Smith ensures his decisions are not only bold but also purposeful, trackable, and resilient. Adopting this simple pre-decision playbook can help you make smarter, more consistent choices every time.
