These are phrases that contain two positive things in which the former is prioritized over the latter. When stuck between two equally valid options, even over statements make things actionable. They do so by implementing conscious trade-offs that can bring your business strategy to life.

There are a variety of situations in which these statements can be applied, for example hiring. If your company’s even over statement is: we hire team players even over deep experts, then when there is a choice to be made between two skilled candidates, your even over statements can help make a selection.

Another example is when deciding on which product trade offs you’re willing to make. Does your company value “exclusive product lines even over mass market adoption,” “amazing customer service even over new product features” or “revenue growth even over user growth.” Each of these statements gives your team clarity, creating aligned autonomy at every level.

The fact of the matter is not everything can be a priority. Trade-offs in our companies are being made whether we acknowledge them or not. We can preserve precious time and resources when we choose our trade-offs consciously.