The Success Equation

In the world of business and product development, we are obsessed with a two-part formula for success: doing the right things at the right time. We build complex roadmaps to define the “what” and adopt agile frameworks to perfect the “when.” We believe that if we can just align these two variables perfectly, victory is inevitable. But this is a dangerously incomplete equation.

My experiences across different industries have taught me that you can have a brilliant strategy and impeccable timing and still face catastrophic failure. Like a scientific law, the formula for success has more variables than most people account for. The most critical, and often ignored, are having the right people and, even more granularly, ensuring they are operating at the right level.

The Flaw in the “What” and “When”

We’ve been conditioned to believe that success is a matter of strategic action and timing. In finance, it’s buying the right stock at the right moment. In product, it’s launching the right feature when the market is ready. This thinking isn’t wrong; it’s just insufficient.

Consider the universal law of gravitation, F = G * (m1 * m2) / r². The force of gravity isn’t just about the mass of the objects (the “what”); it’s critically dependent on the distance between them (a contextual variable). Similarly, in business, focusing only on the action and the timing ignores the context of who is executing the plan. A perfect plan executed by an incompetent team is like trying to achieve liftoff with a rocket that has a faulty engine. It doesn’t matter how perfect the launch window is; you’re not going anywhere.

The “Who”: The Most Powerful Variable

I’ve written before about how problem-solving is misunderstood. Companies often reward firefighters — those who solve problems they may have helped create. This is a symptom of having the wrong “who” in place. The right people don’t just solve problems; they prevent them. They are the unsung heroes who see the smoke and act before the fire starts.

When you have the wrong people, your perfect strategy and timing become irrelevant.

• They lack the confidence to challenge the status quo, leading to stagnation.
• They create unnecessary complexity and bureaucracy.
• They prioritize their titles over rational arguments, fostering a toxic culture.

As I’ve mentioned in my post on leading an inherited team, a leader’s primary job is to create an environment where talent can thrive. This means identifying the right people who have the skills, the mindset, and the integrity to execute. Without the right “who,” your strategy is just a document, and your timing is just a date on a calendar.

The “Right Level”: The Ultimate Multiplier

This brings us to the most nuanced part of the equation. It’s not enough to have a team of brilliant individuals. You must have them operating at the right level of altitude and impact.

Imagine you have a world-class engineer, a true virtuoso of code. This is the “right person.” However, if this engineer is spending all their time optimizing a button’s color (the wrong level) while your entire product architecture is flawed, their talent is wasted. This is a management and strategy failure.

In a previous post, I touched on the different quotients needed for success: a high IQ gets you hired, a high EQ gets you promoted, and a high SQ (Strategic Quotient) takes you to the board. This framework is all about operating at the right level.

• The Individual Contributor Level: Focuses on executing tasks with excellence (High IQ).
• The Management Level: Focuses on developing others and facilitating collaboration (High EQ).
• The Leadership Level: Focuses on setting the vision and navigating the entire competitive landscape (High SQ).

Placing the right person at the wrong level is a recipe for disaster. A brilliant strategist forced to manage daily tasks will become frustrated and ineffective. A great people manager without a strategic vision will lead a happy but aimless team. Success requires aligning each person’s “Circle of Competence” with the organizational level where they can create the most value.

A New Equation for Success

To truly build something lasting, we need a more complete mental model. Success isn’t just what + when. The real equation is:

(What + When) * (Who at the Right Level)

The “who” is a multiplier. The right people at the right level don’t just add to the outcome; they multiply its potential exponentially. The wrong people can turn the entire equation to zero.

So, how do you solve for this?

1. Define the “What” with First Principles: Break down what you are trying to achieve to its fundamental truths.
2. Assess the “When” with Second-Order Thinking: Understand the long-term consequences of your timing.
3. Find the “Who” by Looking for Growers: Seek out individuals with a growth mindset, who learn continuously and elevate others.
4. Place them at the “Right Level”: Empower them to make decisions appropriate to their role. Let leaders lead, managers manage, and makers make.

In the end, we must stop looking for silver-bullet strategies and miracle timelines. The greatest lever we can pull is the human one. As Archimedes said, “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” In our world, the right people are the lever, and placing them at the right level is the fulcrum. Only then can we truly move anything.