Folks, I’m the original “Fire in the Belly, Burning Sense of Urgency” guy. I’m a hyper-active entrepreneur who likes to hit the ground running and run hard all day. I’m far, far from the world’s best racquetball player but nobody hustles more; in my youthful days of playing on concrete courts, I had scrapes from diving for the ball.
And yet… over the years, I’ve learned the value of occasionally slowing down. Yes, I value being a fast, lean, and agile organization and at the same time I’ve come to realize the value of two wise sayings:
1) “Measure Twice, Cut Once”
2) “With people, slow is fast and fast is slow”
Taking the time to get people on board, to get and respect input from all involved pays great dividends down the road. Involvement breeds commitment. Pause at key moments to make sure you are on the right track; learn to think differently about what “slower” and “faster” mean. Operational Speed, executing quickly once a process is tested, known, and understood is VERY different from Strategic Speed, deciding which direction to go and how best to get there.
There is no point going fast if you are going in the wrong direction. Sometimes a bit of time/energy spent on maintenance, on reflection, on sharpening the saw, can paradoxically speed you on your way.
Closing Quotes:
“If you slow things down, you notice things you hadn’t seen before.” – Robert Wilson
“In a world where people are hungry for quick fixes and sound bites, for instant gratification, there’s no patience for the long, slow rebuilding process.” – Dan Hill
“Slow and Steady Wins the Race.” – Proverb
As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier