Baby, Don't Rush

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Do you all have those one or two songs that you play on repeat on a Spring day with your windows rolled down? No one is in the car with you, and you just cruise, meditate, reminisce, and smile. The sun is shining, and your lean in the car is just a bit different. One of those songs for me is "Don't Rush," by Kelly Clarkson, featuring Vince Gill. It is one of those chill Country songs with a 70's feel, sprinkled with a touch of R&B for good measure; just enough beat to make you slowly bob your head while you're listening to the message in the lyrics. The title gives it away, but the message is to slow down and enjoy the moment.

One line of that song reminds me of a message from My Great Aunt EDNA. Kelly says, "Throw the map out the window, taking the long way around." That is such a profound lesson for couples, and by the way, leaders as well. One of the failed strategies that I witness from leaders is the approach of following a business map that was established by a previous leadership regime, and then deciding to take shortcuts when they realize the map wasn't created for them. Mistake, mistake, mistake. The first mistake is utilizing a map created by a previous leader. The second mistake is taking shortcuts. The third mistake, is taking shortcuts.

Let's discuss the first mistake of utilizing another leader's business map. I would like to illustrate this point by a lesson that I learned from my 8th grade science teacher, Mr. Pereza in Ft. Huachuca, AZ. Mr. Pereza taught me about the Amoeba. An amoeba is a type of cell or unicellular organism which has the ability to alter its shape, primarily by extending and retracting pseudopods (Wikipedia). Mr Pereza had us watch hundreds of amoeba cells through a microscope to notice how the amoeba swim in a pattern. It is as if you are watching a synchronized swimming routine of cells without hearing the music that they are swimming to. Then, Mr. Pereza instructed us to drop one single drop of a foreign substance into the liquid and look again. Immediately, the amoeba speed up and swim around frantically! As all the 8th graders began to get loud and scream "cool!" he shouted louder, "keep watching!" As we reengaged into the microscopes, what we noticed was that the amoeba would begin to slow down, and then one new leader would begin to swim in a new pattern. The amoeba would all follow, and eventually a new swimming pattern is developed. Same team, new leader, new pattern. The same is true in business leadership. When a new leader is introduced into an already synchronized culture, chaos will ensue, and the team will not begin to follow the new leader until he/she swims in a different recognizable pattern than the previous leader. Throw the map out the window. It wasn't designed for you.

Now, for the second leadership mistake of taking shortcuts, my Great Aunt EDNA thought it important enough to include it in the meaning of her name. Simply put, no shortcuts allowed in good leadership. Why, you ask? Shortcuts inherently remove experiences that are necessary for the growth of your team. Is it possible to achieve the same results by taking shortcuts? Of course. As a reminder, the spirit of Excellence is illustrated in the how, not the what. To create a culture of Excellence, a leader must do as Kelly Clarkson instructed and take the long way around. Another metaphor illustrating the same thought is to take the scenic route. In your leadership plan, allow your team to see the good, the bad, and the ugly associated with achieving a desired result. Shortcuts will only short-change your team, and limit your ability to create sustainable leaders that follow you. Baby, don't rush it. Just lean a little more in your car, and play it back.

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