The Art of Slowing Down

As we are all aware, we live in a fast-paced world. Between projects, events, deadlines, information, and meetings, there is always something coming our way.

Last week I was reminded of the benefit of slowing down when in a project flow. Our oldest son's Little League team is struggling with the basics - a simple fielding of the ball for a clean out has been a struggle. Between poor fielding, messy throws, and distracted (attempts at) catches, there have been many, many errors made. And - of course - all of the parents are doing our complex analysis as to why. But the answer is simple: they're trying to move too fast. 

My husband (one of the coaches) pulled our son aside and reminded him of the classic saying: 

Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. 

i.e. Deliberate, intentional movements made with precision can create more efficiency, leading to improved (and faster) outcomes.

Professionally, I feel this to my core. As we're always trying to meet a deadline, exceed expectations, and perform at a high level, I think we often sacrifice the deliberate, intentional movements that can end up saving us in the long run. After sitting in this idea, I landed on a few practices I'm working into my routines:

1. Ask the right questions. 

In the rush to have all of the answers, sometimes I don't stop to ask the right questions. When a client needs a proposal or wants us to take on a project, I tend to propose an expedited timeline that creates urgency that doesn't exist or commit to a project that may not be fully within our scope. Questions that have saved me:

When would you like to receive the deliverable? 

I'm the queen of "we can get that to you ASAP" without seeing if the client has the time or capacity to review it on my deadline. Let the client set the deadline when it makes sense. 

What is the desired outcome of this project? 

Their target/measure of success will help me confidently determine if we can deliver in excellence. 

Help me understand...

This phrase goes A LONG WAY in unpacking some of the nuance of projects so we can establish clarity around the direction of a project.

Clarity = precision = efficiency 

2. Build in checkpoints. 

I love a big reveal. I'm an amateur cake-maker (I promise this connects...) and I do it all for the moment I open the box and get to see the joy/surprise on someone's face. Not all professional projects work this way. By pacing out a project and building in intentional check-ins with the appropriate teammates to make sure the project aligns with organizational values, honors the tone of the project, falls within our capabilities/scope, and fully meets the mark can save SO MUCH TIME in the long run. These checkpoints may slow down the process a bit, but it's much faster than having to start a project over. Measure twice, cut once. 

3. Revisit and reflect. 

As a company that delivers a lot of sessions and projects, it can be easy to get caught up in delivering a session and quickly moving into the next one. To quote the Foo Fighters, it's "Done, done, and I'm on to the next one." Whether it's a session, important meeting, curriculum build, or other project, we've worked to implement solid After Action Reviews (AAR) to assess the ups, downs, opportunities, and our competencies in a project. This way when the next comparable opportunity comes around, we have taken the time to revisit, reflect, and the apply our learnings so we can be smoother, and faster, in the future. 

To reiterate: slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Intentional movements can make a big impact and lead to greater, more efficient successes. So don't be afraid to ask the questions, build in extra time, and reflect with intention so you (and I) can work towards perfecting the art of slowing down.