Who Not How – Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy

In his episode of the Driven By DCKAP podcast, Jason Seger, CEO of Border States, mentioned he was re-reading Who Not How. I decided to read and see why. 

Having previously read 10X is Easier than 2X by the same authors, this felt like a natural continuation. It is a straightforward read, and in many ways it reinforced what I already believed about collaboration and delegation.

The central premise is simple: when you have a big goal, stop asking how you will achieve it and start asking who can help you achieve it. 

The book starts with the example of Michael Jordan. He won six championships with the Chicago Bulls, but he could not have done it alone. He needed a team, a coach, and the right people around him. You define the vision. The right Who figures out the How.

We Are All A Who

While we all need people who can be that Who in our lives, we are also a Who to others. We are constantly providing support, expertise, and help to the people around us. Dan Sullivan suggests that the best way to measure your progress is by the quality and quantity of collaborations in your life.

The book also addresses procrastination. Often, we delay because a task feels overwhelming. The remedy is finding a Who. Bring in someone with the right skills and the work moves forward.

The Impact Filter

When working with a Who, clarity matters. The authors introduce the concept of an Impact Filter. For any project being undertaken, one must define:

• What would the purpose be?
• The success criteria
• The importance of this
• The ideal outcome

They also emphasized the need for reviewing progress quarterly, documenting wins, and identifying which projects generated the most energy and momentum.

Some people resist investing in their Who-s because they see it as a cost. The authors reframe this: it is an investment that buys back your time. They explained, using an example of a client. They hired a sales manager and saw company revenue grow by 25%, netting an additional £2.5 million against a £120,000 salary.

Collaboration Over Competition

The book makes a strong case for collaboration over competition. A client who was writing a biography initially saw a professor working on the same subject as a rival. When she was encouraged to co-author the book instead, the project grew in both scope and reach. The lesson: do not do things alone when doing them together produces something bigger.

My Take

This is a book I will return to. Great collaborations lead to great outcomes, and reading this was a good reminder that delegation is not a weakness. It is how real progress gets made. I also liked the way the “Strategic Coach” was positioned throughout the book. My thanks to Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy for writing this book and its insights.