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There's a well known saying (at least in the U.S.) with respect to safe driving behavior. It states simply: "Speed kills". That intuitive statement suggests that the faster you drive the greater the chance of getting into an accident that will kill you. When driving at high speeds you have less time to react to driving conditions that can cause an accident for example a car cutting you off or some object on the road you need to avoid.
I believe this phrase applies in different contexts too. I use this phrase occasionally when having to plan out an extremely accelerated project delivery. The faster a team is forced to go the less likely it will be successful as it has less time to react to unexpected events whether it be change in scope, technology challenges or personnel issues such as someone being out sick. As any experienced project manager will tell you something will always pop up and attempt to "cut you off".
I also use the phrase "speed kills" when speaking with a mentee about patience and perseverance. Invariably I have many, many discussions with protégés about career-building and have to help several deal with the fact that they are not at the stage they expected to be at the time we're having our conversation. I don't view careers as races or even marathons. Instead I see a career as something you craft over time in a strategic, patient and careful way. Think of an artist creating a masterpiece.There are also several factors affecting one's career trajectory that are not in our control not the least of which is the economy. The key to dealing with those types of factors is acceptance, patience and continued perseverance of factors we do control. An occasional re-examination of career goals and an extra helping of creative thinking about how to achieve those goals are useful too.
This article is not to say that ambition is all bad or that shortened projects are not achievable. But in building a career we all know of stories where too much speed/ambition led to poor choices and undesirable results.
I'll leave you with an Italian saying my multi-lingual mother would repeat to me growing up as I longed to grow up faster:
"Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano." which translates to "Those who go softly (slowly / patiently), go sanely and go far".
Drive safely!
I believe this phrase applies in different contexts too. I use this phrase occasionally when having to plan out an extremely accelerated project delivery. The faster a team is forced to go the less likely it will be successful as it has less time to react to unexpected events whether it be change in scope, technology challenges or personnel issues such as someone being out sick. As any experienced project manager will tell you something will always pop up and attempt to "cut you off".
I also use the phrase "speed kills" when speaking with a mentee about patience and perseverance. Invariably I have many, many discussions with protégés about career-building and have to help several deal with the fact that they are not at the stage they expected to be at the time we're having our conversation. I don't view careers as races or even marathons. Instead I see a career as something you craft over time in a strategic, patient and careful way. Think of an artist creating a masterpiece.There are also several factors affecting one's career trajectory that are not in our control not the least of which is the economy. The key to dealing with those types of factors is acceptance, patience and continued perseverance of factors we do control. An occasional re-examination of career goals and an extra helping of creative thinking about how to achieve those goals are useful too.
This article is not to say that ambition is all bad or that shortened projects are not achievable. But in building a career we all know of stories where too much speed/ambition led to poor choices and undesirable results.
I'll leave you with an Italian saying my multi-lingual mother would repeat to me growing up as I longed to grow up faster:
"Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano." which translates to "Those who go softly (slowly / patiently), go sanely and go far".
Drive safely!
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