Don’t Cast Blindly
There’s a Difference Between Casting and Fishing
If you’ve ever stepped into a river at sunrise, you know the temptation. You tie on a favorite fly and start firing casts before your boots even settle on the gravel. It feels productive — movement, motion, momentum.
But you know better.
You need to pause. Scan. Read the current. Notice structure, shade, and flow. Then — and only then — do you cast, with a plan to cover the most promising water first.
This pause is hard. We get excited. We get distracted. We hear (or see!) a fish rise and want to go there immediately.
In business, we often mistake activity for strategy. We react to the latest issue, chase shiny ideas, and throw people at problems without asking the essential questions:
Why this? Why now? What does success actually look like?
Activity ≠ Strategy
At Monture Partners, we often work with organizations that are busy — sometimes too busy. Teams are buried under meetings, projects, shifting priorities, and unclear expectations. When we look closer, we find energy cast in every direction, with no framework to guide the effort.
Being strategic doesn’t mean being slow. It means being intentional.
Great leaders understand that attention is a finite resource. They read the environment before committing time and talent. They build structures that help teams act with clarity — not guess.
Too often, we hear:
“We just need to keep pushing forward. We’ll course-correct later.”
“We’re an Agile shop — we’ll adjust along the way.”
Those mindsets aren't entirely wrong — but without intentionality, they lead down costly roads filled with wasted time, money, and political capital.
Efficiency isn’t doing more. It’s doing the right things — in the right order — with the right people.
In fishing terms: cover the best water first.
The Hidden Cost: Your Team’s Morale
Lack of strategy impacts more than the bottom line — it drains your people.
Too often, the toll on the team executing the plan is ignored. I’ve seen this firsthand on what many call “death march” projects. Early in the journey, teams are energized — full of ideas and passion. But when strategy is missing, that spark fades fast.
What remains?
Dismayed employees who once cared deeply now just want to get through the day. Or worse — they leave.
As a leader, if you ever see someone drinking from the classic “Poor Planning on your Part does not Constitute an Emergency on My Part” mug, buy them a coffee and have a good conversation. That’s not just sarcasm — it’s a smoke signal. The zombie apocalypse is coming.
Where Are You Casting Blind?
Take a step back:
Where are you and your team casting without a clear plan?
Where are you reacting instead of reading the current?
Where could a better understanding of your market, your people, or your priorities lead to sharper strategy and stronger morale?
Don’t mistake movement for progress. The fish are there. But you won’t find them by flailing at the water.
Cover the water wisely. The results will come.