In Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass the Red Queen's race sees Alice and the Queen running fast yet standing still. Alice decries the pointlessness of running without getting anywhere. In our country, she says, you run to get somewhere.
"Now, here, you see," says the Queen, "it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"
Many businesses are caught in the Red Queen’s trap. In response to rapidly changing contexts they attempt to run faster and faster just to stay in the same spot.
They demand longer working hours, make their people work harder, continuously shorten deadlines. But as long as you continue to work largely in the way that you have always worked, there will be a limit to the gains that you can make. I think, to a significant extent, this is the trap that many agencies find themselves in now. But they are not alone.
In my book, I describe how velocity is one of the three key building blocks of organisational agility (agility = fast x focus x flexibility).
But velocity in this context is about more than just speed.
It is about tempo and manoeuvrability.
Tempo is the cadence that the business operates to. The rhythm of regular and frequent output, of iterative progress, of continuous learning and improvement. The momentum that builds over time toward a compelling vision.
Manoeuvrability is the ability to move quickly and seamlessly from one state to another. To adapt rapidly in response to changing contexts. To swiftly capitalise on opportunity and course correct in pursuit of that compelling vision.
Both of these facets should be reflected not just in strategies, processes and operating models, but in the very culture of the organisation.
Speed is laudable in many circumstances. But far better to work smarter and not just faster.
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