Avoid Overdrive: Two New Articles about the Danger of Going Too Fast
In Myers-Briggs terms I am an EJ. In the DISC, I am an I/D. What this boils down to is that I get things done. I work fast. My personality style is often an asset because people can count on me to deliver. On the other hand, I know that my personality can also get in the way of my own effectiveness. I admit that I can be bossy. I sometimes plow ahead too quickly, neglect to get others opinions and ideas, and look past potential problems in the interest of quick wins and accomplishments.
I use the term “Overdrive” to describe this tendency. Overdrive is basically the overuse of the “get it done” style. Many business leaders I work with move into overdrive without even realizing it and recognizing its consequences.
It so happens that two premier business publications (HBR and the MIT Sloan Management Review) addressed the issue of overdrive this month, using different terms.
In Harvard Business Review, Heike Bruch and Jochen Menges write about a phenomenon called “The Acceleration Trap.” They argue that the constant pressure that executives are putting on their people to get things done faster and with fewer resources ultimately causes company’s performance to suffer. Sample grab:
When leaders neglect to call a halt to periods of furious activity, employees feel imprisoned by the debilitating frenzy.
The MIT Sloan Management Review article written by Michelle Barton and Kathleen Sutcliffe is titled, “Learning When to Stop Momentum.” Barton and Sutcliffe, both from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, studied the connections between teams that fight wildfires and business teams. They found that groups in both situations often fall victim to “dysfunctional momentum” – which occurs when people continue to work toward an original goal without pausing to recalibrate or reexamine their processes, even in the face of cues that suggest they should change course.
Both articles provide suggestions for overcoming the traps associated with moving too quickly. While all of the suggestions are good, I think the success companies will have with implementing them will depend on the support of the most senior level leaders. The very people who have a tendency to go into overdrive themselves must realize that sometimes we all have to slow down in order to speed up.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment