Here comes the deeper meaning of the so beautiful adjective “pivotal” – and how this could help us to see things differently when it comes to pivots.
The term “pivot” has its roots in Old French, meaning a pin or axis around which something turns. Its earliest use dates back to the 14th century.
Accordingly, the adjective “pivotal” relates to “something that is at a turning point.”
Thesaurus.com, for example, provides the following synonyms for pivotal: central, critical, crucial, essential, important, and fundamental.
Similarly, DeepL proposes the following German translations for “pivotal”: zentral, ausschlaggebend, entscheidend, wichtig, essentiell, kritisch, grundlegend.
๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: contrary to the general perception in the tech venture environment, there is no association of “pivot” with a recent failure.
Rather, the etymological roots go back to an important, but normal process.
Indeed, if an axis did not permanently turn around, it would miss its destiny, wouldn’t it?
๐ง๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐: therefore, it’s time to redefine the general perception of pivotal situations.
๐๐ช๐ท๐ฐ๐ต๐ด ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐ด ๐ข๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ธ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ.
Shifting the target mental model of linear or hockeystick growth in tech ventures to a model of revolving shifts will have huge consequences.
๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ …
… a next generation of tech investors that looks at the capability to turn things around as the number one investment criterion in a team. … because they know it’s anyway not going the way it was planned, in the majority of all cases.
… that type of shareholder that pushes for permanent small experiments beyond the currently so greatly running business. … because she sees this as a precautionary measureย to protect her investment in a upcoming critical phase, that will hit the company for sure, sooner or later.
… a board member that requires any founding team to work consequently on their personal development goals, with a coach or within a peer group. … because he knows its necessary to enlarge their capabilities and resilience in good times for the hard times when things go into a different direction.
๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต๐๐?