Thoughts on "Being Fast"

I’m rereading a book that I originally read 8 years ago, when we were about a year into our church plant. The book is called, “It’s not the BIG that eat the SMALL… it’s the FAST that eat the SLOW” by Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton. The book is all about how Fast Decision Making can be the difference maker in your organization. It really is good stuff.

Although the illustrations are a bit dated, the content is still extremely practical and relevant to the world we’re living in today. I find myself underlining new things than I did 8 years ago, and star-ing statements that I had previously underlined.

A couple of quotes that have jumped off the page at me so far are:

“(Most leaders) look for proof to defend things they already believe. It’s frightening and it kills creativity.” – page 3

I was challenged with how often we tend to do that. The truth is we can back up any belief we have with statistics now days, but it doesn’t necessarily make the right or best decision for our organization.

 “If you can’t think fast, any fast action you undertake is likely to be out of haste instead of speed.” – pg. 6 “Moving fast without a destination in mind is haste, not speed.” – page 9

There’s a difference between haste and speed. As we work with other churches and organizations, this idea of haste vs. speed is a big deal. Often leaders feel the need to make a fast decision, but they have not done the necessary due diligence to be sure they’re making a right decision for their organization. Often the consequence of a hasty decision is exactly the opposite of what they were hoping would happen. Don’t allow pressure to make a decision push you toward making the wrong one. Do the homework necessary to make sure your decision is right, not just fast.

“if you want to know where the big innovations and successes will be in your business, figure out where the business is right now and anticipate the changes that will occur when the business moves to its next phase.” – page 18

This is what a good leader spends a lot of their time doing. Thinking, dreaming, questioning, listening and watching to see where their particular movement or industry is heading in the future. They’re asking questions like, “What skills, disciplines, temptations and insights will be needed when we get there?” Leaders that do not carve in significant amounts of time to ponder such questions are often left chasing those who do.

When was the last time you spent an entire morning sitting in silence and thinking about where you’re movement is headed? The organization you lead doesn’t need you to return e-mails as much as they need you to have a firm handle on where this thing is going in the next 12 to 18 months.

The authors of the book recommend spending 1 full day each month out of the office working “on” the business and not just “in” the business. I highly recommend this as well!

“The number of dumb people is diminishing.” – Page 45

Which is why I don’t believe our existing structure of government works anymore. It was established to serve our country in a time when information traveled as slow as a cross-country train. The reason we needed a politician to represent us and vote for our interests in state and national government was because information traveled so slow that if we waited on everyone to be informed, we’d never get anything done.

So we ended up with a government that said, “Elect smart people to go and represent you because they’ll have the information and you’ll get the benefits.”

However, that world no longer exists. Now information is available at an immediate level, and voters / Americans are actually capable of deciding what they want on an individual issue basis. Even the many of the poorest citizens in our land have access to a cell phone capable of accessing the internet and texting.

What if the constitution could be ratified in such a way that it would allow people to vote on the issues they deemed most important, rather than politicians telling us what they think is most important. Then, what if the people of America could vote on how we feel about each individual issue? Then, the elected officials would simply be elected or appointed to execute (which we still call it the “Executive Branch” of government, by the way) the decisions of the people.

Law enforcement works that way. Someone somewhere determines that the speed limit on a particular road should be 45 mph. Then police are hired to carry out that request. The police don’t make the speed limit, they’re simply there to make sure it is executed and enforced.

So, why couldn’t our country work the same way? Here is an obviously over-simplified example:

Ask Americans, “Do you want taxes to be 18%, 20%, or 22%?” Then explain to Americans through non-partisan video shorts the effects and consequences of each of these decisions. For example, if you choose 18%, 13 public schools will have to close in your city, the new road expansion project would be put on hold and 22 police would be taken off the street.” If you vote 20%, then x, y and z would happen. If you vote 22% then a, b, and c would be able to happen.”

Let Americans vote on the individual issue, then let the government simply be executors of the people’s will.

The number of dumb people is diminishing.

“Many businesses fail by trying to do too much too soon with too few resources.” – page 50

This statement is such a great reminder for so many leaders. Because the thrill is in advancement. The excitement is in the new. The adrenaline is in the start. However, we meet and coach too many leaders, especially of young organizations who are trying to do way too much with way too little staff, manpower, money and time.

Your organization is always going to be better off knowing what your “Hedgehog Concept” (see Jim Collins, Good to Great) and staying focused on that. There are many things you could do, but only a few that you should do. Stay focused. Potency comes with focus. Don’t allow the next big idea to distract you from your last one. Your team will thank you. So will your people. So will your spouse.

Know what you’re called to do and who you’re called to be, and stay focused on that.

“Imagine how much easier life would be if you had a simple set of guidelines – shared by everyone in the organization – for making decisions. The fastest-thinking businesses have such a list.” – page 69

In my world we call these “Core Values.” That list of things we said we were going to be about when we started. However, here’s the crux of Core Values. In the beginning, you, as the leader, define them, but over time, the actual culture of your organization defines them. In the early days, it’s easy to stand up and say, “We want to be authentic…” That’s great, but only time will tell if as your organization grows you will actually build a culture of authenticity.

I often refer to the culture of an organization to be like cement. When you first pour it, it is wet and formable. You can shape it any way you choose. However, over time, the cement of the culture of your organization begins to harden and as it does, it becomes more and more difficult to change and form and shape.

That means that there are some incredibly precedential decisions that are made in the early days of your organization. Decisions that are shaping and forming the cement of your culture. Too many leaders underestimate how important that early decisions are. Don’t take them lightly. Someday, they will be the foundation that everything else about your organization is built upon.

“People who try and impress you by being smart generally aren’t.” – page 97

There’s nothing more heart-breaking than a young leader who won’t shut up. I have met a number of leaders who say they want to learn, but can’t seem to get out of their own way to do so. If you’re the one talking, then there’s a good chance you’re not learning anything.

Instead of trying to say something impressive, why not instead, master the art of asking good questions. People laugh when I tell them that I will usually try to come up with 86 to 104 questions for a one hour meeting with a leader I admire. But I really do. The reason why is because if I only come up with 8 or 10 questions, than maybe 1 will actually be a worthwhile, great question. But if I come up with 100, then the probability of coming up with 10 or 12 great questions goes way up.

Additionally, when I’ve come up with 86 questions for someone, I have logged them in my sub-conscious so no matter where the conversations goes, I’m able to adapt on the fly and have an additional 6 or 8 questions that keep the person I’m talking to talking. Dead ends stink in a conversation. The more questions you have the less likely you are to end up in a dead end.

Learn the art of asking great questions, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll learn.