If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing BADLY

My friend said this to me the other day. It wasn't what I expected to hear and felt somehow ... wrong to accept that something worthwhile should start 'badly'. (In fact what made it all the more shocking is that this friend used to be a practising dentist!) 

In fact this statement goes against everything we are told and taught - BUT the truth it holds lies at the centre of success in our complex and fast moving world.

Design Thinking embodies the spirit of 'getting going' and learning from 'doing'. Early failure becomes a vital ally to succeeding faster.  Allowing failure to be acceptable takes away fear (the fear of failure) and opens up limitless creativity, optimism and joy in the workplace. I don't like to admit it to clients, but i get a bigger kick out of seeing employees contribute in ways they never felt able to before, than the commercial success and shareholder returns which inevitably follow.

So, if you want to succeed fast and well - start badly, learn, make your efforts tangible so people can give you feedback, and have a great time breaking out of the linear processes and fear-inducing-exactudes which has eroded corporations and work life for so long... goodbye to all that.