Who is who?

Conventional wisdom says ‘start with why’.

But in new situations—new team, new client—starting with 'who' matters just as much.

Often politics, personality and relationships influence outcomes more than the quality of the ideas or work.

Knowing who makes the decisions, as well as how and why they get made is one of the most important skills of creative leadership.

Who does this matter to, and why?
Who has influence, and who just has opinions?
Who benefits from getting it right?
Who is at risk if it goes wrong?

The goal isn't to design the solution for them specifically, but to build a mental map of the journey from idea to implementation.

Knowing who is who means you can build rapport and trust early, bring the right people in at the right time, and go in clear-eyed about who'll back you and who'll push back.