Speed of thought v/s speed of action

The other day I met an old friend after a long time. We were quite close during our college days and shared all happy and sad moments. It took us a while to open up. As it normally happens when you meet after a long interval, you end up discussing old days. And then there is a lull because there has been a period in between when you have gone your separate ways. Maybe you've developed different tastes and diametrically opposite views.

Well, we went through our silences. But, finally, after a couple of drinks he seemed to find new things to talk about. As it transpired, he was under considerable stress. And the reason for his stress was his boss.

Like many of us, here too was working for a new economy company. With the stress on speed of doing things, there was considerable pressure on everyone in his organization to deliver at breakneck speeds. (I didn't ask if people had actually broken their necks in the process!) In a scenario like this, there is so much to be done on so many fronts, and in so little time. More often than not, such environments leave a lot of things open and create discomfort among employees. It didn't take me long to understand where he was coming from.

All this talk about speed really makes me wonder. Let's look at the `new ideas businesses' for instance. Do you know how long it took the guys to set up that first of its kind business-one year, two years or a couple of months. You really do not know. May be the idea germinated several years ago and kept undergoing refinements in the mind, after which it finally took wings.

The majority is followers. Once the idea is out in the open, every one starts clamoring to copy it. (Provided of course, that it has been a success. Actually this last time is a no brainer. After all nobody would know if it didn't succeed.)

The problem of 'speed' therefore arises mostly when you are copying a good idea. With so many people trying to do the same thing, you better be out in the market fast. You see a whole lot of other guys doing the same thing and get paranoid. Then you start putting pressure on everyone around to hurry up.

The result is that everyone just starts doing things without really thinking things through. The fact that the first guy has been successful is no reason why you would be too. Chances are that you are not even aware of the entire support infrastructure that has gone in at the back end.

It is quite possible that the environment too may have changed. There is, therefore, always that need to analyze why we are doing what we want to do. The 'why' bit also helps to get the 'cobwebs' cleared. You get better 'buy in' from your team. Chances are that since they also understand why they are doing something, they will also be able to innovate and improve the outcomes.

I am all for speed. But I am more for speed of thought. Be creative. Think of new things that bring value. Think of innovative ways of doing the same thing better. Whatever you do, see how it adds value to your customer.

There is nothing earth shattering in the above statements. Still, some how, we don't give these thoughts the consideration that is due to them.

The biggest mistake that we probably end up making is expecting everything from everyone. Chances are that those capable of speed of thought are not necessarily capable of speed of action. Both types of people have a role to play in running a business successfully. There is a need for both types to have a healthy respect for each other. Unfortunately this perspective is in rather short supply.

There is a third kind of person. He is a guy (or gal) who is something of the first and something of the second. This kind of person is a critical resource in any organization. He is the kind of guy who will at times go into deep thought mode, and at other times be galvanized into action mode. He will probably not possess the levels of speed of thought or speed of action that the specialists do. But he is the guy who brings in semblance of order. He is creative, at the same time practical. He will fly into flights of fancy and at the same time not lose sight of the ground realities.

He is the link between the visionary and the operations specialist. Being creative himself, he is better able to identify with the visionary and abstract flights of fancy and there on translate these into actionable processes. Without this link person, the visionary and the operations specialist may well keep operating in their own isolated worlds.

The moot point is that speed of thought and speed of action seldom occur simultaneously. The possibility that all this will occur in the same person at the same time is even more remote.

Too many businesses in the new economy have over emphasized speed of thought. When sufficient thought has not gone into action, the speed of action itself is likely to suffer. People will stop in their tracks and start having doubts. And get overwhelmed because there is no benchmark thought to validate the action.

Not for nothing did the ancient Indian scriptures place the 'gyana' yoga above 'karma' yoga. But maybe, in the new age economy, these may be considered rather archaic.

Sumit Sharma is Associate VP, Microland and the author of the book titled `The Corporate Circus.'