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"When I was faster I was always behind."
-Neil Young
If war is politics influenced by the use of force, business is a war game influenced by the use of people and time. With each passing year the universal theme is time-poverty and increased technical speed under the banner of "Faster, faster...until the thrill of speed overcomes your fear of death." But there is plenty of proof where no amount of flimsy apologia can right a wrong when traveling too fast kills a project with high hopes, or a relationship of high value. Haste can indeed make waste. It's hard to reprogram oneself to guard against the faster-is-always-better mantra. Super sales motivator Don Beveridge shared a story that remains foremost in my mind. It's worth filing away. Beveridge is a 5-star gunslinger when it comes to jump-starting performance in companies as large as Honeywell, or as compact as a radio group. Don had a client in Houston who had engaged his luminescent doctrine with commensurate results. Among the agreed-to disciplines in that relationship was a rule calling for all sales people to make 12 full-scale presentations every week. Less than 12 would be substandard, everyone agreed. The consultant-client relationship hummed along until one morning Beveridge had an "urgent" message to call his Houston client as soon as possible. Upon reaching the vice president of sales Beveridge heard, "Don, haven't we agreed our sellers are to make 12 full-scale presentations every week? Isn't that the agreement? One of our people isn't! It's setting a lousy example in the building." Don acknowledged in fact that had been the agreement and asked, "Is someone not meeting that number? Who is it?" His bellicose client replied and rapidly followed with a request for Beveridge to get on a plane and fly down to Houston to manage some fast redirection. Beveridge agreed to do exactly that but asked, "If you don't mind, tell me what Tom's sales performance has been lately." Crickets chirping...followed by throat clearing and a somewhat softened response. "Well...uh, he's the top seller and leading the group...but damn it Don, he's not meeting the presentation goal of 12 complete presentations every week; he's averaging ten! What do you want to do about it Don?" Beveridge hesitated for a few seconds then calmly offered, "I think we should cut him back to six." Often overweening egos in the corner office fail to realize there is no template or single path to the top. This is a complicated study best left for another column, except to say regardless of endeavor, all human beings do not arrive at greatness the same way at the same time. Ask coaches about "project players," or a great teacher about wide variances in students; some of whom are slow out of the gate, only to finish first. In fact the youngest Moore daughter was tested in 4th grade and we were summarily informed "Your daughter predicts as a mid-pack student and we should put her on that pathway." You may assume her parents weren't on board with that academic lickspittle.
Eight years hence Nicole graduated 6th in class, was accepted to one of the vaunted "Seven Sisters" women's colleges out east graduating cum laude, ultimately completing graduate work in England. Her story isn't at all unique but serves to emphasize the ostensible truth that speed and "talent" aren't always the capstone of success. Goals and objectives are important. Meeting expectations are equally valuable. In the end, how rapidly someone achieves success is another matter.
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