Business Productivity Entrepreneurship

Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork (Summary)

by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy

Dan Sullivan, a highly successful entrepreneurial coach, decided he wanted to take 150 'free days' a year—days with absolutely no work. The immediate question for most people would be 'How can I possibly do that?' Instead, Sullivan asked, 'Who can help me achieve this?' He hired assistants to manage his schedule, his emails, and even his personal appointments, freeing him to focus only on high-value work. This simple shift in questioning is the key to unlocking exponential growth without burning out.

Asking 'How' Is the Biggest Obstacle to Your Goals

When you face a challenge and ask 'How?', you immediately limit the solution to your own knowledge and capabilities. Asking 'Who?' opens you up to the near-infinite skills and experience of other people, allowing you to achieve a far better result much faster.

An entrepreneur wants to launch a podcast. The 'How?' mindset leads them to spend months learning about microphones, editing software, and distribution. The 'Who?' mindset leads them to hire a podcast production agency that can have them professionally launched in two weeks.

Your Time Has a Price Tag—and It's High

High-achievers often try to save money by doing tasks themselves, failing to calculate the massive 'opportunity cost' of their time. By outsourcing lower-value tasks, even at a cost, you buy back time to invest in activities that generate far greater returns.

A consultant charges $500/hour for their expertise. They spend 4 hours a week on administrative tasks to save $100. By hiring a virtual assistant for that $100, they free up 4 hours they can use to bill clients, generating an additional $2,000. They don't just save time; they make money.

Your Job Is the Vision, Not the Implementation

A leader's primary role is to define the 'What' (the desired result) and the 'Why' (the purpose). Once the vision is clear, your job is to find the right 'Who' and empower them to figure out the 'How' without micromanaging the execution.

When building his company, Strategic Coach, Dan Sullivan didn't know how to code the scheduling software or design the marketing materials. He focused entirely on the vision for what the company would provide to entrepreneurs. He then hired 'Whos' with the specific technical and creative skills to build the systems that brought his vision to life.

Invest in Relationships, Not Transactions

Finding a 'Who' isn't just about hiring a freelancer for a one-off task. The real power comes from building long-term, collaborative relationships. When a 'Who' understands your vision and is invested in your success, they transform from a service provider into a true partner who proactively improves the outcome.

Instead of hiring a different graphic designer for every project, a business owner puts a talented designer on a monthly retainer. Over time, the designer deeply understands the brand, anticipates needs, and starts suggesting creative ideas the owner hadn't even considered, elevating the entire brand identity.

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