Slowing Down to Speed Up
In working with a leadership team to complete their quarterly EOS planning, we recognized that "Clarity Breaks" had been a goal for a two consecutive quarters. However, only one person had even looked in to what they were, and no one had scheduled one. It seemed simply absurd to sit and "do nothing" when there was so much to be done. We recognized that adding Clarity Breaks to a leadership practice required a shift in thinking...Consider this.
Imagine you’re driving to an important destination.
Early in the drive, you have a slight sense that you might be lost. You don’t want to take the time to pull over and program the GPS or consult a map – you just keep driving. Maybe even faster than the speed limit.
You see the road passing out the window. It feels like you’re making progress. But you glance down at your watch and with a sinking feeling, realize you’re going to be late.
When you finally arrive, you're frustrated and tired. You don't want to admit that getting there was more due to chance than your navigation skills. And a lot of time was wasted. There is no sense of celebrating the fact that you arrived. And tomorrow, you start towards a new destination with low energy and the same lack of clarity.
Now – imagine your whole team was in the car with you. Not only are YOU frustrated by the journey, but you may have lost the trust of your team. In addition to having low energy, you’ve now added the need to rebuild TRUST along the way to your next end point.
Goals are our destinations. And we're not the only ones driving. Taking regular Clarity Breaks helps clear your head and keeps your focus strong, while maintaining forward momentum.
It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. - Dr. Rolla May
Learn more about Clarity Breaks by consulting Traction (p. 214-5) by Gino Wickman or How to Be a Great Boss (p. 73-38) by Gino Wickman and Rene' Boer.