Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should

Last week in our neighborhood, there was a vehicle accident where one of the cars flipped. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries or deaths. Let me add that this was in a 35-mile-per-hour speed zone—repeat: a 35-mile-per-hour speed zone. How does that speed allow for such a violent crash?

It began with a younger driver, full of youth, confidence, and agility, who chose to navigate a hill in the neighborhood at an expedited rate. They were local, and it was a familiar route for them. So they thought nothing of speeding through to get to their destination. They surpassed the posted speed limit. A living tale of George Bernard Shaw's words, "Youth is wasted on the young."

However, on this day, at an intersecting street near the bottom of the hill, another driver stopped, looked both ways, and determined, based on the posted speed limit, that it was clear to pull out.

Surprise—two lives intersected violently! Based on actual speeds, the closing rate of the distance between the two vehicles inevitably shortened. The young driver, rounding the curve of the hill, saw a car they were unprepared to maneuver around. The other driver saw another car materialize in mere seconds where there had been nothing but an open road. A t-bone accident unfolded, and the immediate neighborhood environment had significant disruptions to handle (traffic reroutes, emergency medical services, etc).

This unfortunate situation reminds me of workplace environments primed for inevitable disruptions. You know, like the ones where the job ads say, "Candidate needs to hit the ground running." Running into what?

Brick Wall or Opportunity

In my book 30 Worthy Guides, I discuss the importance of identifying the "why" when establishing goals. "Aligning goals with a true purpose makes them feel more achievable and sustainable."

If we invest energy and effort in something, we expect somewhat of a proportionate return on investment. Sadly, most professionals have experienced the sting of disappointment when a project hits an abrupt stop—the brick wall—because the "why" was never clearly defined at the front of the work. Thus, despite our abilities, the environment has halted progress. Tough lesson learned.

The better path is staying true to the "why" and constantly reconciling our position within the context of knowing ourselves, the environment, and the other parties involved in an initiative. Any change in those three factors helps avoid obstacles and determine opportunities to expedite progress along the way safely.

Race Speed is Rarely Required

The work environment often presents a false sense of "this has to get done quickly." In truth, if we are diligent in our everyday work, there are few instances where our speed has to be accelerated. Maybe a rearrangement of order, but rarely a hyper shift in gears.

Toward the bigger picture, we do one lap around the sun each year we live. And in essence, it's the same loop. Yet, with each new lap, our appreciation for the people and view around us holds more weight than marking the time of the lap. The perceived "need" for speed shouldn't persistently rob us of finding joy in the attributes of and relationships around work. If there is an unending rush, this warrants a more extensive environmental assessment (e.g., mapping production flows—the traffic).

Going back to the lesson, sometimes, we may need to work quickly to meet a legitimate deadline. These moments should be relegated as outliers rather than everyday operating patterns because all shifts outside the routine come with risk.

The question is, have we worked to calculate and mitigate the risk? Or are we barreling forward with zero worries or disregard? If given the choice, I'd prefer a T-bone experience involving a victory meal rather than an avoidable defeat. Be safe out there!? ? ??

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