How To “Slow Down to Speed Up”
Photo provided by Unsplash.
Introduction
Here’s a post in the spirit of “Get out of your own way.”
You may pride yourself on your drive and ability to get things done fast. Those two superpowers have served you well in the past.
But just because it worked for you in the past doesn't mean it will meet the challenges of today. If you find yourself fighting more and more “fires” in your organization, that could be a sign that your "superpowers" are turning into "kryptonite."
Let me explain.
Go Slow to Go Smooth
About 20 years ago, I decided that I wanted to try mountain biking. What I wasn’t ready for was just how narrow, twisty, and bumpy mountain bike trails are here in East Texas - there are so many trees to avoid! So, my riding was halting, jerky, awkward, and often ended in me falling.
A well-intentioned friend told me that the solution was to go fast and trust the bike. The bike was built to handle obstacles. I just needed to give it power, and it would do the rest.
That advice earned me two separated shoulders (thankfully not at the same time). So I took a break from mountain biking (pun intended).
About 20 years later, I started getting the itch to try mountain biking again. One of our daughters had already gone off to college, and I had more time for hobbies. Having learned an important lesson from my previous experience, I got some professional help. I wanted to know the correct way to ride. Because I believe in coaching, I hired a mountain bike coach.
The thing that I learned from my coach was how to ride smoothly.
Where to keep my center of gravity in the “ready” position
How to keep my “feet heavy” and “arms light”
Where to look down the trail instead of focusing on the trees I wanted to miss
How to expect uphill climbs and switch gears at the right time
Go Smooth to Go Fast
What’s crazy here is that I noticed as I focused on going “smooth,” my ride times started improving. I went faster when I stopped trying to go fast and started trying to go “smooth.”
A few years before this, I heard someone say that I needed to “slow down to speed up.” Now I understood what that meant. When I slowed down and focused on the fundamentals, I began to ride more smoothly. As I focused on a smoother ride, I produced a faster ride.
It’s the same way for how we communicate or follow processes. When we slow down enough to communicate clearly, we get results faster. Likewise, when we follow proven processes, we can expect to see proven results. The struggle here is that many leaders are wired to focus on speed first, rather than focusing on making things go smoothly. Instead of saying “ready, aim, fire,” they find themselves saying, “Fire! What do you mean you weren’t ready? Why aren’t you aiming at the right target?”
Applications
When you catch yourself feeling “stressed” or “rushed,” take a moment to “just breathe.” That will help you slow down so you can “go smooth.”
Focus on “going smooth,” and let the speed take care of itself.
For Reflection
What would “going smooth” create for you?
What would it take for you to “go smooth” today?