Shaun Gordon’s Post

1 thing I 100% know about decisions: Information isn’t everything At times I’ve: • Invested in information  • Prepared ahead of time • Networked with the right people And still come up with the wrong conclusions. In a certain Far East country, for example, The translators: • Prepare in advance • Study industry jargon • Practice with you for hours They’re best in class (and paid that way) I prepared with them all day, met with experts,  and studied non-verbal cues for years. But cultural differences, plus a translation gap  put me at a disadvantage to my  native-speaking colleagues. I’m better off watching from the sidelines.  And that’s OK. 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

If you can’t understand non-verbals You’ll never see the whole picture. (And your business will suffer)   Body language, tone, and pauses can change:  “we 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 make the budget”   into   “we 𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 make the budget” Understanding the difference deepens insights And pays off in more rewarding business deals. It’s about seeing beyond the surface. It pays off if you’re:  • Leading a team • Negotiating a deal • Assessing a new market   Because messages are:  • 55% Body language • 38% Your tone • 7% Words    How I avoid getting run over by non-verbals: 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘀.   Pay attention when your ears tell you something different from your eyes.   Even when you can’t put your finger on it, raise your awareness 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲   Find conversations across the room. That you can see but not hear. Try to figure out what’s going on there. 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲   Ask yourself, what drives this person? What does their body tell me?   To get good, you have to • Enjoy the study • Invest in it * Practice When you do, it can pay off.   It’s not full proof. I’ve missed many times before But I’ve also saved myself a lot of pain.

Our brains tell us ghost stories (And puts us in the center) 3 examples from business. 𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸: • I lost the sale. My margin's 3% too high. • I lost the investor. My business model is flawed • I didn’t sell my company. We missed our budget But it’s not all about you. Not even close. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 (in order of probability) 𝟭) 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Deals take time. Their attention waivered. Keep their attention or They. Are. Gone. Always be closing. 𝟮) 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱. You compete against people, not deals They buy from people they know, like, and trust Details get their interest, but people close the deal 𝟯) 𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 eat at buffets. Investors constantly look at other asset classes They know opportunities exist everywhere Don’t over negotiate. Get a deal done. People think about themselves. You're an afterthought. Act accordingly. Timing matters --> Don’t over negotiate. Seize the day --> Always be closing.

The physics of classroom disruption. At my recent 25-year high school reunion,  I had the pleasure of catching up with Mr. Ahad,  my former physics teacher who now runs his own  successful tutoring business. Despite the years, he hasn’t changed a bit and was  keen to dive into discussions about entrepreneurship  with me and my friend Brandon Mizrahie. Reflecting back, the teacher who once sent me out  of class for pushing his limits was now discussing  the potential of entrepreneurship with two of his  students who had received stern words of  discipline from him back in the day. We talked about how the ones willing to push the  limits are often the ones bold or crazy enough  to start a business. There are some areas in life where limits exist,  but in others, the potential is limitless. I shared Jeff Bezos’s story about how, in baseball,  the most runs you can score is four. But in business,  you can score a thousand runs sometimes. Jeff Bezos said, “The difference between baseball  and business, however, is that baseball has a truncated  outcome distribution. When you swing, no matter how well you connect with  the ball, the most runs you can get is four. In business,  every once in a while, when you step up to the plate,  you can score 1,000 runs. This long-tailed distribution of returns is why it's  important to be bold. Big winners pay for  so many experiments.” Sometimes, you really can hit a thousand runs. Mr Ahad liked the story and hadn’t lost his sense  of humor either. As I said goodbye and mentioned  I had to run to the restroom, he quipped, “Hey Shaun... I think you can walk to the restroom.  Please don't run!” It instantly took me back  to high school. Haha! Did you ever get sent out of class?  How have those experiences shaped your  journey or mindset as an entrepreneur or professional?

Ever watched skepticism turn into sheer excitement in seconds? I recently met a founder with a radical pitch—deliveries straight to your living room via underground networks in a few minutes. Sounds like a fantasy? I had so many questions and I felt things slipping in my mind into the zone of being far-fetched. I stopped him mid-sentence and said “You have to have video. Can you prove that you can actually do this? Show me right now.” He immediately pulled out a video clip of his tech in action at a notable company’s industrial site, moving parts and shrinking the process time by 80%. It was a different use case but my skepticism instantly transformed into intrigue. That’s a win! I didnt know him but I was instantly proud of him. It was an excellent reminder for me of the importance of staying vigilant to what your audience needs in that moment in order to progress. Sometimes you need to see to believe. Other times, you need to believe to see. Whether you are a startup founder pitching to VCs, a fund manager pitching to LPs, or a salesperson selling something to somebody somewhere, remember this duality! Your outcomes improve greatly if you think about this and prepare accordingly. Here’s the straight talk — It’s not just about slick slides, the content, or your pitch – it's about understanding the delicate balance of what you're asking someone to do. Take the time to identify and bridge the gaps in your delivery. Bring your audience on a journey of envisioning a different reality or future, and present the evidence you have to support it. What will it take to get them to take the next step? How do you make progress when it's challenging to present evidence that convinces them today? Think about it: Sometimes, your audience needs more concrete evidence, like a video, a well-crafted demo, a robust prototype, or metrics that validate your claims in order to believe. But other times even in the presence of that evidence and data they may not SEE. There must be a clear picture of the that different reality or future state that is presented with passion that demonstrates the fire from your team to pull it off in order for them to BELIEVE.  It is an art and I am always working on it. But it starts with awareness and working on your readiness to adapt on the fly. Ever been on the edge of dismissal and transformed that into intrigue? ___ #business #entrepreneurship 

Mastering the Balance of Speed and Precision in Leadership    𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲... This ancient phrase carries a powerful message that  resonates deeply with me as a leader. The origin of  "Festina lente" can be traced back to the  Roman Emperor Augustus. He used this paradoxical expression to emphasize  the importance of urgency balanced with careful  consideration. It's a timeless reminder that speed  and efficiency should not come at the expense  of thoughtfulness and precision. 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵, 𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. The Navy Seals have a similar motto:  "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." This saying encapsulates the same principle –  by taking deliberate, measured actions, we  ultimately move faster and more effectively. In high-stakes environments, rushing can lead  to mistakes. Instead, a calm, methodical approach  ensures that every move is executed flawlessly,  leading to greater overall speed and success. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 The power of the duality embedded in these phrases  is profound. I find it quite useful to challenge myself  and the teams around me on how we can improve  and compress timeframes. By setting unreasonably tight deadlines, we push  ourselves to engineer faster outcomes while still  adhering to the "festina lente" philosophy. This approach drives urgency without falling into  the trap of haste. Urgency is about recognizing  the importance of timely action and pushing  forward with determination. But haste?  Haste often leads to oversight and errors. The balance lies in being urgent yet deliberate,  ensuring that every step we take is well-considered. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 In my own experience, I’ve seen the benefits of  "Festina lente" firsthand. Whether it’s launching a new project, responding to  a crisis, or driving toward a goal, this philosophy  helps discover the balance between  speed and accuracy. It’s about being fast, but not reckless;  decisive, but not impulsive. By calibrating the optimal pace based on strategic  objectives, we can achieve our goals more effectively. To me, making haste slowly isn’t about moving slowly.  It’s about progressing with purpose and precision. By embracing "Festina lente," we can ensure that our  actions are both swift and thoughtful,  improving our success and growth. How do you balance speed and precision in your  life and leadership? Share your thoughts and  experiences in the comments below!  ___ #leadership #business