#59: You don't have to be right all the time
And how most of the things you say or do are not definitive
Hey friends,
Welcome to the 59th edition of the “Level Up Ladder” newsletter.
Before we go further, I have a short question for you, as it helps me structure this newsletter so that it’s more valuable for you
1/ Some updates from my side
Last weekend, I went through one of the most interesting “educational” experiences in my life.
For every topic we study in the MBA, we have two projects we need to submit:
a group project, usually presenting a PPT done in a group of 5-6 people
an individual project, 2500–3000 words submitted as an academic paper
For the “Corporate Global Strategy” module, we had a different group project, and it was a “24-hour challenge.”. This meant we met on an evening at 7 PM, and a real company came and presented their strategic challenge. I can’t get into a lot of details but it was a Romanian company with a global presence that was growing year by year for 10 years. Until a couple of years ago, when they stopped growing and even had to lay off one-third of their workforce.
They gave us a lot of documents to read about the company, their financial data, and articles about the industry, and each group had exactly 24 hours to come up with a strategy that would bring them back to the growth from before.
You could do whatever you wanted during those 24 hours, you could go home, sleep there, work in the park, ask chatGPT, ask your grandma, whatever you wanted. The next day, you had to come up with a PPT and present your group’s strategy in front of our teacher, the company’s CEO, and its CSO (Chief Strategy Officer).
This type of challenge happens in several MBA programs, but not in all of them. I know for sure that Insead, one of the best MBA programs in the world, has it.
But I can tell you this, before this challenge, I was not 100% convinced I made a good decision starting the MBA. I mean, yes, it was fun; I learned a lot of stuff and I met great people, but this came with a lot of work outside my normal work, a lot of weekends spent in class, and so on.
But this challenge did it for me. It was one of the best things I ever did—getting into a real-life scenario, coming up with strategies according to methodologies, and making an impact.
I also learned a few things during those 16+ hours we spent together as a group:
when time is short, it’s hard to keep people focused
setting some ground rules regarding organization and decision-making from the start is very helpful
I am very competitive, and sometimes I try too much to get my ideas in front of others.
always be bold. Everyone knew the company was in s**t, but only two of the five groups had the guts to tell them to their faces. Honesty always wins
But the most valuable lesson I learned that day, which is something that I’ve been thinking about lately, is that before I got into this MBA I didn’t actually know how little I knew.
But this is a more complex topic and I’ll talk more about it in a future letter.
Last weekend there was a competition at school, and this weekend it’s a sports competition.
Tomorrow I will participate in my first-ever Hyrox event.
Here’s a brief description of what this is:
I am very excited but also a bit nervous. I just hope to finish the race, as I’ve never done some of the exercises in the contest (I’m talking about the sled push and pull).
I can’t wait to tell you how it went.
Wish me luck!
2/ You don’t have to be right all the time and the power of reversible decisions
This week, I wrote a post on LinkedIn about Steve Ballmer’s, then CEO of Microsoft, reaction to the launch of the iPhone.
When watching this video, I thought about how some people have this innate fear of being wrong. They think that it will hurt them and their career so much that they prefer to not say anything when they should.
What can we learn from this?
Everyone Makes Mistakes
Even the most successful people in the world get things wrong. It's a natural part of the human experience. Ballmer's misjudgment didn't prevent him from achieving remarkable success.Resilience Is Key
His career demonstrates the importance of resilience. He didn't let a public mistake define him. Instead, he moved forward, learned from his errors, and continued to lead.Courage to Speak Up
Don't be afraid to voice your opinions or try new ideas. Innovation and progress often come from bold thinking and the willingness to take risks. Sometimes you'll be wrong, but that's okay. Each mistake is a learning opportunity.
Let’s be honest, most of the time, your mistakes won’t even be made in a public setting.
And it’s the same with decisions, being afraid of making a bad decision gets us into analysis paralysis. And often, indecision is the worst decision we could make.
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, has a unique approach to decision-making that complements this mindset perfectly. He differentiates between "Type 1" and "Type 2" decisions:
Type 1 Decisions: These are like one-way doors. Once you make them, you can't go back. They need to be made carefully and deliberately.
Type 2 Decisions: These are like revolving doors. They are reversible and can be changed if they don't work out.
Contrary to what we think, most decisions in business and life are Type 2 decisions. They are reversible and don't require exhaustive deliberation.
got into a job you hate? look for another one
moved to a country and you don’t like it? move somewhere else
started writing online about business and you want to write about running marathons? guess what you can do
Suppose you think about this and realize that we make very few life-and-death decisions during our lives. In that case, we can experiment and be agile, allowing us to take calculated risks without fearing irreversible consequences.
Action Steps
Share Your Thoughts
The next time you have an idea or opinion, share it. Whether in a meeting, a casual conversation, or on social media, your voice matters.Embrace Failure
View mistakes as stepping stones rather than setbacks. Each error brings you closer to success by teaching you valuable lessons.Make Reversible Decisions
When faced with a decision, ask yourself if it's a Type 1 or Type 2. If it's reversible, don't overthink it. Make the call, and if it turns out to be wrong, you can always adjust.Encourage Others
Create an environment where your team or peers feel safe to express their ideas without fear of ridicule. Foster a culture that celebrates effort and learning.
In Conclusion
Steve Ballmer's story and Jeff Bezos's decision-making framework are powerful reminders that being wrong isn't the end of the world.
In fact, it can be a crucial part of your journey to success. So, state your opinion, try new things, and don't be afraid of being wrong.
Who knows? Your next big idea could be just around the corner.
3/ Recommendations
Laura Vanderkam’s Ted Talk on gaining control of your free time (author of the productivity book “168 hours”)
This conversation between Joe Rogan and Rizwan Virk might unsettle you (hint: he thinks we might live in a simulation)
Thank you for reading, and let me know if you liked something in particular in this newsletter.
I hope you have a great weekend, friends!
Leo
P.S.: If you want to read my content daily, don’t forget to follow me on Linkedin.
P.S. 2: If you want to take your productivity to the next level, check out my extensive Productivity course that can accelerate your career.