Metadata
- Author: John Cutler
- Full Title:: TBM 351: The 4 Prioritization Jobs
- Category:: 🗞️Articles
- URL:: https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-351-the-4-prioritization-jobs
- Read date:: 2025-04-15
Highlights
But I’d argue that in some organizations—particularly ones where the pipes are badly clogged and teams are overwhelmed—you may need to take the exact opposite approach. In those cases, the most important move you can make is to stabilize first. • Limit WIP (#1) • Provide first-pass heuristics to reduce thrash and help teams make tradeoffs (#3) • Once teams can breathe, then you can start to surface and clarify strategy, goals, and outcomes (#2) • And only then does it make sense to revisit how your funding is allocated and how structural support is distributed (#4) It’s almost the reverse of the classic model. But the key insight is this: clearing the pipes is the strategy when you’re stuck and nothing is moving. That’s not a tactical choice—it’s a strategic one. (View Highlight)