Slowing Down to Speed Up
Aka “An Ode to Stage 1: The Hare & the Tortoise in Business Coaching”
[ 2,5 min read ]
Efficient change requires to be smart, intentional and crystal clear about where you’re going. That sometimes means slowing down first, because “The race is not always to the swift.”
THE PROCESS
gain clarity ➙ make plan ➙ take steps ➙ keep going
STAGE 1: THE VISION > gain clarity
Over and over I witness today’s fast-paced, high-pressure environment seducing individuals and organizations into rushed decisions and quick fixes, leading to the supreme house of cards “strategy” when it comes to eliciting change. So, ultimately you’re set up for a déjà vu moment of the exact same critical juncture in the not so distant future. That seems like a waste of time, energy and resources. Agreed?
Consequently, it may be worth flirting with the wisdom of the tortoise. Slowing down, recentering, taking one, two, three steps back. This can be the key to unlocking sustainable fertile ground for the change intended. And maybe that new ground is in a very different spot than anticipated. Because often, the crux of the problem is hiding in a different corner of the room than the symptom suggests and the mind believes.
So let’s open all the dusty drawers for review. Let’s Marie Kondo the situation! Done right once will not only give lasting results, but also ultimately be the more efficient route. All these piles of factors may look like chaos at first, but from chaos comes clarity. Because chaos allows for a restructuring of all moving parts, for a natural falling into the correct place, for a making up of an innovative new pattern.
With this new found order comes a clear view and the opportunity to take the crucial first step with absolute lucid intention. No mental space is occupied by "the what ifs,” because everything was on the table during the process. Now, it’s full speed ahead!
STAGE 2: STRATEGY > make plan + STAGE 3: ACTION > take steps
There is a reason I focus on stage 1. I witness that stages 2 and 3 are often not the issue, so I’ll be brief.
It’s the goal, the vision, the purpose that requires fine attention. Once you know where you want to go, you can be open to many roads leading to Rome. Efficiently, too. Let’s have fun with a plan here, be creative and innovative. Let’s think out-of-the-box and do it differently. You don’t have to obsess over the road, just trust the goal you so intricately refined. It’s almost like the next step appears before your foot once you start moving it in direction of your vision. Trust.
STAGE 4: ACCOUNTABILITY > keep going
And then there is stage 4: taking accountability for your actions. This also wants fine attention. Because the most innovative visions and thorough plans are absolutely nothing without consistent follow-through. So keep on keeping on and continue to set yourself up for success!
In conclusion, the framework of the Crack the Cocoon® coaching process - namely Stage 1 & 4: digging out and defining the vision and then holding your hand until you get there - this is what we’ll be spending most of our attention on. This is the frame that will hold up your vision. Make sure it’s solid and big enough.
“Within the confines of the cocoon, vision is the guiding light and accountability the reliable rhythm, together transforming potential into innovation.”
- Sandra Bertalanffy, Founder Crack the Cocoon®
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