Strategy days. Big thinking. Bubbles and breakouts. Pages of ambition and arrows. At the time it felt essential. And some of it was.
But the business didn't grow because of what we wrote once. It grew because of what we repeated daily - the standards we lived, the decisions we made and the behaviour we tolerated (or didn't).
Small teams don't need to look like big businesses. They need clarity and consistency.
The same applies to development. "Do you think I should go on this course?" Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes it's, "You probably just need more responsibility."
Courses can stretch thinking, sharpen language and build confidence. But not everything is unlocked in a classroom or role play. Some things only reveal themselves through the trial and error of life - making the call, getting it wrong, adjusting and going again. That's where judgement forms.
And here's something I've come to believe: not everyone is wired to mentor. Not everyone wants to lead. Not everyone has the appetite to carry vision. Square pegs, round holes - I've seen a few. That's not a criticism. It's clarity.
You can teach skill. You can't manufacture appetite. Belief grows in the doing.
I'm not anti-whiteboard. I'm not anti-course. I just think it's OK to build your business in a way that fits you - to think for yourself, test ideas and focus on what actually adds value. You don't have to copy the playbook to be serious.
PS. That said, if anyone needs a whiteboard, I appear to have cornered the market…