Getting There Faster

It seems to me that everywhere we look someone is trying to persuade us to accomplish things more quickly. Doubtless there are strategies and products that can help us be more efficient, but is faster always better?

These days I’m big into walking. Most days I’m off pounding the pavements babbling into my little digital notetaker.

Typically, I prefer to walk at a fair pace. Now and again, though, I can be a little low on energy and it’s on these days that the voice in my head implores me to take a shortcut — “Come on! Go left here and we’ll avoid the hill.”

No way José. I know why I’m doing this and it’s not to get anywhere quicker; it’s to benefit my mental and physical health.

Clearly, there’s a parallel here with business. According to my observations, some of the technologies and initiatives that profess to make us more efficient, promote cutting corners in the hope of reaching a destination more quickly.

I’m not saying that meandering is always better than sprinting, but it certainly is when it comes to ensuring the right foundations underpin growth.

Tearing ahead without adequate behind-the-scenes structures or throwing money at marketing without determining the correct strategies is guaranteed to fail.

You’ll look impressive for a while, but your knees will give in sooner than you think.

In much the same way as most so-called overnight sensations in the entertainment industry have spent years doing it tough before the guy with the spotlight showed up, so most successful small businesses are very familiar with the stages of planning and testing.

What say you? Post a comment if you’re not in too much of a hurry.