Using Principles to Create Leverage and Make an Impact

"If you give me a lever and a place to stand, I can move the world." – Archimedes

For those of us driven to make a difference, the road to impact often feels like a constant uphill climb. We invest time, energy, and effort but sometimes struggle to see the results we’re after. So, how do we work smarter, not harder? The answer lies in leverage.

Leverage is the advantage that amplifies your efforts, allowing you to achieve more with less. Archimedes brilliantly captured this idea: with the right lever and a solid foundation, you can move the world. In today’s fast-paced world, our most powerful levers aren’t physical tools but principles - guiding truths that maximize mental clarity and streamline decision-making.

Why Principles Create Leverage

Principles serve as a decision-making framework, cutting through complexity and aligning your actions with your goals. They aren’t rules that box you in but foundational guidelines that keep you focused, consistent, and aligned with your values.

Consider Amazon, a company built on 14 leadership principles. These principles guide leadership behavior and create a unified approach to decision-making across the organization. Here are a few examples:

• Customer Obsession: Always put the customer first and earn their trust through every action.

• Take Ownership: Act as if you own the business, ensuring every decision reflects accountability and pride.

• Invent and Simplify: Embrace creativity and simplify processes to innovate and deliver results.

These principles eliminate guesswork, enabling leaders and teams to act decisively. When applied consistently, they create a culture of clarity and momentum.

Applying Principles in Your Life and Work

While Amazon’s principles work for a global organization, the same approach can be tailored for teams, small businesses, or even your personal goals. By identifying and committing to a set of principles, you establish a foundation for consistent, impactful actions. Here’s how you can create and apply your own principles:

Identify What Matters Most: What drives your decisions and goals? Start by reflecting on your core values and aspirations. For example, if integrity and innovation are important to you, consider principles like “Act with Honesty” or “Embrace Bold Ideas.”

Focus on Simplicity: Your principles should be straightforward and actionable. Complex or vague principles are harder to apply consistently. Think of them as tools to simplify your decision-making, not complicate it.

Align Principles with Goals: Your principles should support your broader objectives. If you aim to lead with empathy, a principle like “Listen to Understand” can guide your interactions. If growth is your focus, “Learn Relentlessly” might become your mantra.

Reinforce Through Action: Principles are only powerful if they guide behavior. Reflect on your actions regularly to ensure they align with your principles. When in doubt, ask yourself: “Am I acting in accordance with what I stand for?”

Personalizing Principles for Impact

When working with clients, I often challenge them to identify 3-5 principles that could create leverage in their leadership or personal pursuits. For instance:

• Start with Curiosity: Approach challenges with an open mind and a willingness to explore new perspectives.

• Progress Over Perfection: Focus on forward momentum rather than being paralyzed by the need for flawless execution.

• Empower Others: Build environments where others can thrive, knowing that collective success amplifies your impact.

These principles act as a compass, guiding decisions and creating clarity in moments of uncertainty.

Take a moment to consider the principles you already live by, consciously or unconsciously. Are they helping you make decisions efficiently, or are they holding you back? If you don’t have clearly defined principles, now is the time to create them. Remember, principles don’t limit you - they empower you to focus on what truly matters. When aligned with your values and goals, they amplify your efforts and make the impossible seem achievable. So, what principles will you use to create leverage and make an impact? Let’s share ideas and inspire each other to move the world.