What does the word “triage” make you think of?
Probably hospitals, doctors, or a trip to A&E?
The word actually comes from the French verb ‘trier’ – meaning to sort or separate. It became widely used during the Napoleonic wars, when military surgeons had to prioritise limited medical resources by sorting the wounded into three groups:
1️⃣ Those who would sadly die, no matter what.
2️⃣ Those seriously injured but likely to survive.
3️⃣ Those who could be saved – if they received focused attention.
Fast forward a couple of centuries, and I think many businesses could benefit from a bit of “triage thinking.”
No organisation is flush with resources right now. We’re all fighting battles against rising costs, rising expectations, and rising levels of required transformation. Increasingly, I’m seeing a divergence in where leaders believe their time should go:
– Some senior stakeholders want to keep investing in old ideas – the ones that will fail no matter what, often driven by legacy, loyalty, or nostalgia.
– Others prefer to focus on safe projects that deliver reliable value but little real change.
– And then there are a few bold voices arguing for the tough, uncertain, transformative work – the kind that might not always succeed, but if it does, could truly redefine the organisation.
There’s no universal answer. Every context is different. But tough times call for tough choices.
So, here’s a challenge:
👉 Try putting your current initiatives through the “triage thinking” lens.
Are you pouring energy into what’s dying? Playing it safe? Or giving real focus to the things that could make the biggest difference?
If you’d like some support applying this approach to your team or organisation, message me at rupert@strongerhumans.com for a free 30-minute consultation.
(With thanks to Dave Trott for the inspiration on “Triage Thinking” from his excellent book ‘Creative Blindness’)
#strongerhumans #triagethinking
