We’re taught from an early age to solve problems. It’s what humans do. Our approach is largely intuitive and dates back to our origins.

Typically, we are at Position A and need to get to B. So we immediately focus upon how to progress forwards and reach that goal.

I believe we can invariably achieve more predictable and valuable results by essentially reversing this approach.

In business it’s been long recommended we do NOT proceed in this traditional way. Specifically, in Marketing the wiser practice is to work in reverse.

With this method you focus primarily on the result and then next on the way to get there. First you must understand EXACTLY what Product your customer needs and at which POINT in TIME. And only then develop a Plan to achieve this overall end.

It’s fairly simple, really. If you understand your clients’ needs you just (?!) have to execute, on-time. This is commonly called being Market-Driven.

Using this approach we are effectively working backwards relative to our traditional and original scheme which focuses us more immediately upon proceeding; pushing forwards with primarily what we already have in-hand. The Market-Driven approach dictates we comprehensively understand the goal and only then flush out the details of what and how to accomplish.

The earlier, original marketing style is generally described as being Product-Driven. It causes us to be focused on the product we can deliver, rather than the true customer/market needs. Such methods of pushing products (rather than carefully satisfying requirements) are woefully inadequate in competitive, modern markets.

But more importantly, this newer, Market-Driven methodology equally applies to many, if not most life situations, too.

Today, both timing and accuracy continue to be increasingly critical in business and private life. So why wouldn’t this intuitively wise and somewhat reverse approach be generally applicable?

Let’s think more broadly than just relative to Marketing. Imagine now (say) a common situation where it’s critical you arrive for a meeting by a specific time. Shouldn’t you first recognize this important result and then work back though your schedule identifying only essential items to retain in your plans so that you won’t overrun the limited time available?

The important meeting in this case is a must do; it is your critical result. It is the particular event that has to happen. Just as in being Market-Driven, you first pick the critical result that is to occur sometime in the future and only then organize all beforehand to ensure that goal is achieved.

Through such events we see our very lives to be essentially market-driven. Additionally, we remain Results Orientated. And, isn’t it a result of these same influences that all achievers either intuitively or deliberately organize their lives, anyway?

Making sufficiently detailed plans to achieve a critical goal is the key to reliably delivering quality, on-time results. Trimming and adequately defining steps of a plan to secure the process are essential elements of success.

Additionally, developing clear mental images and specific details of desired results is a proven, powerful self-motivational method regularly used by both businesspeople and athletes, alike.

And realistically, how else do winners predictably achieve critical results UNLESS they make sufficiently thorough plans and schedules?

Are you reliably getting results with important short and long-term goals? Are your people delivering the right results, on-time?

Maybe it’s time to make your world fully Results Orientated and become more Market-Driven.