Running Lean, 2nd Edition

Chapter 1. Meta-Principles

The proper application of any methodology first requires a clear understanding and separation of principles from tactics.

Principles guide what you do. Tactics show you how.

The essence of Running Lean can be distilled into three steps:

1. Document your Plan A.

2. Identify the riskiest parts of your plan.

3. Systematically test your plan.

In this chapter, we’ll cover these meta-principles. The rest of the book will focus on the reduction of these meta-principles to practice.

Step 1: Document Your Plan A

There Is an “I” in Vision

All men dream: but not equally. Those that dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.

—T.E. Lawrence, “Lawrence of Arabia”

Everyone gets hit by ideas when they least expect them (in the shower, while driving, etc.). Most people ignore them. Entrepreneurs choose to act on them.

While passion and determination are attributes that are essential in order to drive a vision to its full potential, if they are left unchecked, they can also turn the journey into a faith-based one driven by dogma.

Reasonably smart people can rationalize anything, but entrepreneurs are especially gifted at this.

Most entrepreneurs start with a strong initial vision and a Plan A for realizing that vision. Unfortunately, most Plan A’s don’t work.

While a strong vision is required to create a mantra and make meaning, ...