Prioritize Execution, Talent, and Ambiguity for Sustained Growth

In this conversation with Dave Mortenson, President and Co-Founder of Purpose Brands (formerly Self-Esteem Brands), Adam Outland distills a potent philosophy for effective leadership and business growth. The core thesis isn't about finding the "right" path, but about the relentless pursuit of making any chosen path right through decisive action and continuous adaptation. This approach reveals the hidden consequence that the pursuit of perfection can actively hinder advancement, and that true progress lies in embracing ambiguity and fostering collaboration. Leaders and entrepreneurs who understand this will gain a significant advantage by shedding the paralysis of indecision and focusing on the dynamic process of iteration and improvement, building resilient organizations that thrive on forward momentum rather than static ideals.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Perfection

The business world often glorifies meticulous planning and flawless execution. We're taught to strive for the "perfect" decision, the "perfect" strategy, the "perfect" product. But what if this pursuit is not only misguided but actively detrimental to growth? Dave Mortenson, through his experience building a portfolio of wellness brands like Anytime Fitness and Orange Theory under Purpose Brands, offers a counter-narrative: make a decision, then make it right. This isn't an endorsement of recklessness; it's a profound insight into how dynamic systems actually evolve and how leaders can navigate them effectively.

The immediate implication of this philosophy is a radical shift away from analysis paralysis. Instead of agonizing over every potential outcome, the focus moves to committed action and subsequent refinement. Mortenson’s partnership with Chuck Runyan exemplifies this. Runyan often originates the "big idea," and Mortenson then dedicates himself to the intricate work of making that idea a functional reality. This division of labor, devoid of ego or the need to be "right," allows for constant forward motion.

"Don't focus on making the right decisions all the time. Just focus on making a decision and then making it right."

-- Dave Mortenson

This approach directly challenges the conventional wisdom that prioritizes foresight above all else. When extended forward, a strategy focused solely on pre-emptive correctness can lead to stagnation. The market shifts, unforeseen challenges arise, and a decision made with perfect information today might be suboptimal tomorrow. By contrast, the "make it right" mentality builds resilience. It acknowledges that the real learning happens after the commitment, when feedback is immediate and tangible. This creates a powerful competitive advantage: while others are still debating the theoretical best course, your organization is already iterating, adapting, and improving based on real-world data. The delayed payoff--a continuously evolving, responsive business--is far more valuable than the fleeting satisfaction of an initially "perfect" but ultimately static plan.

The Talent Magnet: Building a Sandbox for Geniuses

A critical component of making any decision "right" is having the right people to execute and adapt. Mortenson views leadership fundamentally through the lens of recruitment. A great leader, in his estimation, is not just a strategist or an operator, but a master recruiter. This insight moves beyond the common understanding of hiring as filling a vacancy; it's about actively curating a team of exceptional individuals and creating an environment where they can thrive collectively.

The implication here is that talent acquisition isn't a periodic HR function but a continuous strategic imperative. Mortenson’s practice of always letting people know he's hiring underscores this. It’s a proactive stance, recognizing that opportunities to bring in top-tier talent are often fleeting and may not align with immediate, pre-defined roles. The downstream effect of this continuous recruitment is the formation of a dynamic, adaptable team. When you prioritize bringing in experts, you inherently create a more capable organization. The challenge then becomes orchestrating these talents. Mortenson describes this as getting "leaders who are experts and then getting them to play in the sandbox together." This "sandbox" metaphor is crucial; it suggests a space for collaboration, experimentation, and mutual learning, where egos are set aside for the greater good of the collective project.

"Most importantly, if you've got the chance to hire great talent, make a place for them, even if they don't fit nicely into an existing role. You want to build the best team possible, and fussing over titles isn't part of building a great team."

-- Dave Mortenson

This approach highlights where conventional wisdom fails. Many organizations get bogged down in rigid job descriptions and hierarchical structures, inadvertently blocking the very talent that could propel them forward. By contrast, Purpose Brands’ focus on creating space for exceptional individuals, regardless of title, fosters a culture where innovation can flourish. The delayed payoff isn't just about filling seats; it's about building a synergistic team whose collective intelligence and adaptability far exceed the sum of its parts. This creates a durable competitive advantage, as competitors struggling with rigid structures find it difficult to replicate the agility and problem-solving capacity of a truly collaborative, talent-rich environment.

Embracing Ambiguity as the Engine of Progress

The final, and perhaps most challenging, insight Mortenson shares is the necessity of "living in the gray." This concept directly confronts the human tendency to seek clear-cut, black-and-white answers, especially in business. Mortenson argues that the most effective solutions, and indeed the most robust growth, are found not in extremes but in the nuanced middle ground.

This implies that true progress requires a willingness to engage with complexity and ambiguity, to listen to perspectives that may initially conflict with one's own. It's about understanding that most significant challenges don't have simple, singular solutions. Pushing too hard on one extreme--whether in business strategy, employee relations, or customer engagement--inevitably leads to alienation and cultural erosion. The consequence of such polarization is a business that fails to flourish long-term, leaving leaders wondering how they arrived at such a suboptimal state.

"As Dave puts it, no good answer is black or white. All the answers are in the middle, in the gray. It's harder to decipher because you have to hear things you don't necessarily agree with."

-- Adam Outland (commentary on Dave Mortenson)

The systems-thinking implication here is profound. A business is a complex ecosystem of individuals, customers, and market forces. Treating it as a simple, linear equation--push this lever, get that result--ignores the intricate feedback loops and emergent behaviors. By contrast, "living in the gray" means actively seeking to understand these interdependencies. It requires patience and a commitment to collaboration, even when it's difficult. The delayed payoff of this approach is a stable, culturally rich, and enduring business. While competitors might achieve short-term gains through aggressive, simplistic strategies, the organization that masters the gray will build a more sustainable foundation, less susceptible to the shocks and shifts that can derail less nuanced operations. This ability to navigate complexity, to find solutions that satisfy multiple, often competing, demands, becomes a powerful, difficult-to-replicate moat.

Key Action Items:

• Immediate Action (Now - 1 Quarter):
  • Identify one significant decision you are currently delaying. Make a definitive choice this week, and immediately assign resources to "make it right" through iterative steps.
  • Actively seek out one dissenting opinion on a current project or strategy. Schedule a conversation to genuinely understand their perspective, even if you disagree.
  • Initiate a "talent scouting" mindset: discreetly let your network know you are always open to exceptional candidates, regardless of immediate openings.
• Short-Term Investment (1-6 Months):
  • Review your team's current roles and responsibilities. Identify opportunities to create a "sandbox" environment where cross-functional collaboration and experimentation are explicitly encouraged, even if it means slightly redefining existing roles.
  • Analyze a recent "imperfect" decision. Document what was learned in the process of "making it right" and share these learnings broadly to reinforce the value of action and iteration.
• Long-Term Investment (6-18 Months):
  • Develop a framework for evaluating "growth and advancement" beyond immediate efficiency metrics. Focus on year-over-year progress in key strategic areas, even if certain processes aren't perfectly optimized.
  • Foster a culture where constructive debate and finding "gray" solutions are rewarded. Consider implementing mechanisms for cross-departmental problem-solving that necessitate listening to diverse viewpoints. This approach, while requiring significant cultural investment, builds a resilient organization capable of sustained, long-term success.