Basic HTML Version

|  | Table of Contents |  | View Full Version

Page 35 - The Indian EYE 052926
P. 35

    Business Strategy with Hirav Shah                                         MAY 29, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 35

                The Power of Writing Your Business Strategy on Paper:

              How Paper Sharpens Business Decisions

              When typing, ideas move fast—but often without order. When writing by hand, the brain
                                   slows down, evaluates, and connects ideas more deliberately

                                                                                                                      This exercise turns thinking into
                                                                                                                  structured clarity.

                                                                                                                   Practical Tips to Build the Paper
                                                                                                                               Habit
                                                                                                                      Use one dedicated notebook for
                                                                                                                  strategy
                                                                                                                  • Write by hand, not on tablets
                                                                                                                  • Keep  sessions  short  (10–15  min-
                       HIRAV SHAH                                                                                   utes)
                                                                                                                  • Review weekly, rewrite monthly
                                                                                                                  • Avoid perfection—focus on clarity
               n an age of dashboards, apps, and                                                                  • Small discipline creates big clarity.
               AI tools, one of the most pow-
            Ierful business practices remains                                                                                   FAQs
            surprisingly simple: writing your strat-  Writing your business strategy on paper slows thinking just enough to sharpen judgment,   Isn’t digital planning more efficient?
            egy on paper. Clarity improves when                                                                       Digital tools are efficient for exe-
            thinking  slows  down—and  nothing               reveal truth, and reduce costly mistakes (File photo)   cution, not for deep thinking.
            slows thinking more productively than                                                                 Do I need to write every day?
            pen and paper.                    When strategy is written:         • Reduce impulsive decisions          No. Even 2–3 focused writing ses-
                Digital  tools  are  excellent  for   • Weak assumptions become obvious  This is why paper planning is es-
            execution  and  tracking.  But  when  it   • Conflicting priorities surface  pecially effective for strategy, vision,   sions a week create clarity.
                                                                                                                  Can teams use paper planning?
            comes  to  decision-making,  prioriti-  • Gaps in execution are exposed  and roadmap creation—not daily to-  Yes. Leaders should think on pa-
            sation, and strategic clarity, paper   • Overconfidence reduces     do lists alone.                   per before aligning teams digitally.
            creates a depth that screens rarely do.   Many entrepreneurs believe they                             Does handwriting really matter?
            Writing  forces  structure.  It  exposes   are clear—until they try writing their   When to Use Paper in Business   Yes. Handwriting activates deep-
            gaps. It reveals contradictions. And   plan. According to Hirav Shah, confu-  (And When Not To)       er cognitive processing than typing.
            most importantly, it sharpens  deci-  sion often hides behind verbal confi-  Paper works best at specific   What if I don’t enjoy writing?
            sions.                            dence. Paper removes that illusion.
                                                                                moments:                              That discomfort often signals un-
             Why Paper Still Beats Screens for   Writing Forces Prioritisation (No   Best for:                    clear  thinking—exactly  what  paper
                                                                                                                  helps resolve.
                                                                                • Strategy creation
                    Strategic Thinking              More Mental Clutter)        • Decision validation
                Screens encourage speed. Paper    In the mind, everything feels   • Problem diagnosis                        Conclusion
            encourages thought.               important. On paper, priorities must   • Priority setting               Clarity is the foundation of good
                When typing, ideas move fast—  compete for space.               • Reflection and review
            but often without order. When writing   Writing forces you to answer:  NOT IDEAL FOR:                 business decisions. And clarity rarely
                                                                                                                  comes from speed—it comes from
            by hand, the brain slows down, evalu-  • What matters most right now?                                 structure. Writing your business
            ates, and connects ideas more deliber-  • What can wait?            • Task tracking                   strategy on paper slows thinking just
            ately. From Hirav Shah’s experience,   • What should be eliminated?  • Team collaboration             enough to sharpen judgment, reveal
            leaders who write strategies on paper   This process alone improves deci-  • Automation and reminders  truth, and reduce costly mistakes.
            tend to make fewer emotional deci-  sion quality. Hirav Shah’s experience   Hirav Shah often recommends a   “The sharper the thinking, the
            sions and fewer reversals later.  shows that businesses stuck in confu-  simple rule:  think on paper, execute   simpler the execution—and paper
            Paper:                            sion often regain momentum simply   digitally.                      sharpens thinking best,” — Business
            • Reduces distraction             by writing and restructuring priorities                             Strategist & Game Changer Hirav Shah
            • Improves focus                  on paper.                           A Simple Paper-Based Strategy       Before adding more tools, try
            • Encourages logical sequencing                                           Exercise (10 Minutes)       this: pick up a pen, open a notebook,
            • Forces prioritisation             Why Paper Improves Long-Term    • Step 1: Write your top business goal   and write.
                This is why some of the most              Thinking
                                                                                  (one line)
                                                                                                                      You may be surprised how quick-
            important business decisions are still   Digital planning often focuses on   • Step 2: List 3 priorities that directly   ly your decisions improve.
            drafted on notebooks, not apps.
                                              short-term tasks. Paper invites long-  support it
                                                                                                                     Hirav Shah is the Global Business
              How Writing on Paper Sharpens   term thinking.                    • Step  3:  Write  3  risks  that  could   Strategist, Game Changer, and Author
                                                                                  block execution
                                              When leaders write by hand, they natu-
                   Business Decisions         rally:                            • Step 4: Note one decision you are   of 19+ books—trusted worldwide for
                Decision-making improves when   • Think in phases                 avoiding                        validating big decisions of entrepreneurs,
            thoughts are visible. Writing turns   • Connect present actions to future   Step 5: Write one action you will   sportsmen, and entertainers.
            abstract ideas into tangible logic.  outcomes                       take this week                      Email : Business@hiravshah.com

                                                                   www.TheIndianEYE.com

| 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 |