January 2014: Go slow to go fast.

Any of us would be hard-pressed to find an organization that isn't focused on speed -- getting the job done faster. We all feel the effects of 'institutional impatience' - a frenetic rush to show progress or completion. Even organizations undergoing major culture change want to make it happen right now. As leaders, if we want to be nimble and achieve sustainable speed, we need to understand the concept of going slow to go fast. 

Often, leaders will try to drive a major change effort without bringing people along the 'change curve' first. They might push an innovation out the door before it has been tested, expect teams to be high performing without first building a foundation of trust and open communication, or expect to get unvarnished feedback without building relationships that make it safe for that to happen.  This often results in stalled progress or even a backward slide. Remember that when you invest the time to lay the right groundwork, you can accelerate toward your goals! Today, think about something you might need to slow down in order to go fast