The Power of Deconstruction

Ever since I can remember, I have always loved construction.

The idea of building something where there was nothing before. Even as a little girl, I was fascinated by the process of how homes were built in my neighborhood. I would take note of every detail, right down to how the moldings on the windows and doors were perfectly aligned. That kind of precision had me enthralled!

This fascination with construction continued into adulthood, but with a slightly different focus. I am continually in awe of watching new businesses start from nothing but a scribble on a blank sheet of paper, eventually manifesting into a vibrant entity with its own life and personality.

But sometimes in business, deconstruction is necessary too.

To deconstruct something is to take it apart, piece by piece. This could result in demolition, but not necessarily. It's more like the exact reverse of piecing something together. Sometimes writing is deconstructed; when a political speech is analyzed by the news, for example. Lots of chefs put "deconstructed" versions of dishes on their menus.

But when I talk about deconstruction, I have a much more productive purpose, with an eye on business. I was recently working in Infusionsoft, a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software program. A client had asked me to replicate a launch campaign they had previously created. To truly understand the logic behind such a task, I couldn't just duplicate it; I had to deconstruct it.

Starting with the end goal and working backward allowed me to reverse-engineer the structure of the campaign, one thread at a time, until I could weave everything together into a new, cohesive structure. In the end, the campaign was a huge success.

That experience got me thinking, how could we apply the logic of deconstruction to other areas...

In business, I think it's a useful practice to analyze all systems that are in place, especially if they are stagnating, outdated, or underproducing. Pulling apart each component and determining what can be improved, added to, or deleted is extremely useful. This deconstruction of systems could result in changing up a product offering, tweaking a sales funnel, or removing a less than an optimal element.

You can also apply this philosophy to life, especially during overwhelming times. Instead of trying to confront a colossal monstrosity of a problem in your life, it's much more effective to break it down into smaller pieces. When you take the time to deconstruct a stressful situation logically, you can usually come up with a constructive game plan to tackle the problem.

So, how about you?

Do you have any issues in your business or life that you could deconstruct to fully learn how it works and/or improve it? I'd love to know in the comments below!

Until next time… breathe joy,

Kc