Running because its Faster!

Image via WikipediaWe are all high energy, adrenelin junkies with a need for speed. And speed is extremely critical. Especially for a fledgling tech startup. With stakeholders demanding results quickly and competitors knocking at the door, sometimes it seems that you can never run faster enough.

Some popular myths:

1) "In order to be quick, I need to make quick decisions".

In order to be quick, you need to make the right decisions. Knee-jerk reactions seldom drive step-change results. Typically, they cost the company time and money, increase employee stress levels and lead the business further in the wrong direction. Taking the time up front to plan and prioritise is key in order to focus on which urgent things to pursue, and which to simply drop in favour of something more important.

2) "If I don't feel like I am rushing then I am not going fast enough!".

If you feel like you are rushing to sort out burning issues without time to think, the issues are managing you and you aren't managing the issues. It is important to feel the pressure and push yourself. But you have to manage the pace to give yourself time to look at the big picture.

3) "Its urgent, therefore, I have to do it now".

Prioritising based on deadlines doesn't work because it assumes that you have enough time to do everything. Typically, however, you don't! So how do you decide what to focus on next when everything is urgent? Go back to your business objectives. What is really important for success? Then, reevaluate what is urgent in this context. If you can't do everything, just do the most important things (not the most urgent)!

Isn't this the same as Aesops fable "the hare and the tortoise"... well, not quite. In today's competition, there is no room for slow moving animals. But if you are a hare and you're in a rush in the woods, don't run with a blindfold on!