Tag Archives: decision frameworks

The Airport Conversation While waiting for a delayed flight, a colleague asked Val Sklarov: “How do you always seem five steps ahead?”Sklarov replied: “Because I don’t think in steps—I think in maps.” That mindset—seeing not just the next move, but the entire terrain—is what defines strategic thinking. The Nature of …

The boardroom was tense. The company had two options: launch quickly and grab short-term revenue, or delay for six months to refine the product. Everyone argued for speed. Val Sklarov sat quietly, then asked one question:“What does this decision look like five years from now?” The room went silent. Suddenly, …