The Power of the Impact Filter by Dan Sullivan

I share my thoughts, ideas and reflections many weeks of the year. I’ve decided that rather than skim the surface of several things I am going to go deeper in an area that I feel is worth the time.

This week I am sharing a tool that can transform your ideas and reduce overwhelm. Welcome to the Impact Filter by Strategic Coach and Dan Sullivan.

I am an avid learner and have invested hours on training, reading books, going to seminars and also at business masterminds. The Impact Filter by Dan Sullivan is one of the most popular ‘Tools’ we now use at CTA.

If you are like me, you have many ideas, I even invented Groupon before Groupon (that’s another story)! The issue is that many business owners chase shiny new objects. This is how I am wired, but it can create a sense of overwhelm, not only for myself but for the team that have to clean up the mess after me. It’s a bit like a man being set free in the kitchen to do the dinner one night, my wife can tell you that the mess is not pretty!

Enter the Impact Filter

This tool is a game-changer for sorting through the clutter of ideas and focusing on what truly matters. It’s essentially a decision-making tool that helps clarify the purpose, importance, and desired outcomes of any project or idea.

How It Works:

The Impact Filter asks some critical questions:

• What is the purpose of this idea?
• What does success look like?
• What are the worst-case scenarios if it doesn’t happen? By answering these questions, we get a clearer picture of whether an idea is worth pursuing and how to go about it.
• Selling yourself on the project.

A recent example of using the Impact Filter at CTA:

At CTA, we recently utilised the Impact Filter for a critical decision: hiring a new team member. Creating an Impact Filter for this new hire allowed us to define with absolute clarity what success would look like in this role. Within three months, it became evident that the progress wasn’t aligning with our predefined expectations. Without the Impact Filter, we might have dragged the process out for much longer, potentially leading to more complications. This tool provided us with a clear, objective framework to assess the situation and make a well-informed decision that was ultimately best for the business and the team.

Avoiding the ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’: As entrepreneurs, we’re naturally drawn to new, exciting ideas. However, not every shiny object is gold. The Impact Filter has helped me, and my team distinguish between fleeting distractions and genuinely impactful ideas.

DOWNLOAD THE IMPACT FILTER HERE

Your Turn: I encourage you to try the Impact Filter for your next big idea. It might just be the clarity you need to move forward effectively.

A Personal Note: Embracing tools like the Impact Filter has not only improved our decision-making at CTA but also reduced the overwhelm that comes with entrepreneurial creativity. It’s about making our ideas work for us, not the other way around.

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve used the Impact Filter or any similar tools. Sharing insights and experiences is how we all grow together.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Steve

PS – If you want to learn about other ways to grow a business, using short cuts, tools, without the stress and guesswork, book a chat with me HERE to learn about how I help business owners 1-1.

Credit to Strategic Coach for the Impact Filter – Learn More HERE