Randy Polito has noticed something about how people approach problems.
They decide on Solution A. They plan for Solution A. They commit to Solution A. And then when the situation reveals that Solution B would actually work better, they force Solution A anyway because that's what they prepared for.
This isn't commitment. This is stubbornness.
Here's what Randy Polito has learned: most problems have multiple solutions. Your job isn't to implement the solution you planned. Your job is to implement the solution that actually works for the situation in front of you.
This sounds obvious. It isn't. Because it requires letting go of the plan you fell in love with.
Randy Polito thinks about coaching. You walk in with Strategy A. You've prepared for Strategy A. Your team knows Strategy A. And then you see the defense they're giving you, and Strategy B becomes immediately clear. Strategy B is more efficient. Strategy B exploits what they're showing you. Strategy B wins the game you're actually playing.
The question is: do you run Strategy A because that's what you planned, or do you run Strategy B because that's what works?
The answer is obvious. You run Strategy B. But most people don't. They force the plan because they're invested in it.
Here's another way Randy Polito thinks about it: imagine you're running a manufacturing operation. You could build an assembly line—complex, expensive, requires coordination. Or you could have 100 people each doing all the jobs. That's simple. That might actually be easier given your constraints.
The assembly line isn't better because it's more sophisticated. It's better only if it actually produces better results for your situation. If 100 people doing everything works better for what you're trying to accomplish, then that's the answer.
Simple can be hard. Complex can be easy. The difficulty and the complexity aren't the same as the quality of the solution.
Randy Polito's point: don't fall in love with a solution. Fall in love with the outcome. And then choose whatever solution actually achieves it.
This requires skill. It requires the ability to read situations accurately. It requires experience recognizing patterns. It requires knowing what works and what doesn't in different contexts. But Randy Polito thinks the biggest obstacle isn't skill—it's ego. It's the attachment to being right about your original plan.
When you let go of that, suddenly you can see the better path. And you can take it.
The question isn't "which solution did I plan for?" The question is "which solution actually works for this situation?" And then you have the courage to choose that one, even if it means abandoning your plan.
That's how you win. Not by executing your plan perfectly. But by recognizing when a better plan is available and having the flexibility to shift.
— Randy Polito