That Messy Middle

 How long will you give it before you give up and throw out the F-Bomb (Failure-bomb)?

This is the quintessential question for anyone involved in some sort of start-up venture or project.  Whether it’s a business, non profit or a personal project, the difference between seeing the light at the end of the tunnel or the oncoming headlights of failure is your willingness to persevere.

The most dangerous and vulnerable stage of any vision is the middle.

At the beginning it’s all about the energy of the vision.  One reason for that energy is because ideas are free; free of commitment, cost, and sacrifice.  That’s why the initial stage of launching a vision is so invigorating!  Everything is possible and all obstacles are surmountable in that fluffy, untested world of the future vision. 

Once you get near the end you may be tired from the journey but you can now see the tangible outcomes emerging.  That sight-line renews your energy to complete the climb.

The problem is the messy or miserable middle.  It’s where:

·         Team members or initial proponents begin to leave

·         Criticism over ‘production’ starts to surface

·         The initial ‘master plan’ is facing regular re-think moments in order to adjust to realities

·         You doubt yourself

 

Do you stick with it or abandon ship and walk away with your degree from the School of Disappointment? 

Here are 12 guidelines for deciding when to quit and when to persevere, as posted by Rosabeth Moss Kanters’ blog in the Harvard Business Review of Oct 23, 2012:

1. Are the initial reasons for the effort still valid, with no consequential external changes?
2. Do the needs for which this a solution remain unmet, or are competing solutions still unproven or inadequate?
3. Would the situation get worse if this effort stopped?
4. Is it more cost-effective to continue than to pay the costs of restarting?
5. Is the vision attracting more adherents?
6. Are leaders still enthusiastic, committed, and focused on the effort?
7. Are resources available for continuing investment and adjustments?
8. Is skepticism and resistance declining?
9. Is the working team motivated to keep going?
10. Have critical deadlines and key milestones been met?
11. Are there signs of progress, in that some problems have been solved, new activities are underway, and trends are positive?
12. Is there a concrete achievement — a successful demonstration, prototype, or proof of concept?

If your answers are mostly yes, then press on!  If not, then it may be the right thing to fold up and move on.  Better to give up on something that cannot work rather than something that could have worked.

Just because the middle is messy, it’s not a good reason to give up.  Press on!

Harv Matchullis

harvey@visiontracks.ca

www.visiontracks.ca

When Are You Ready?

A challenge lies ahead.  An opportunity emerges.  A prompting to act pokes at your soul.

How long do you wait?   When are you ready to act?

In this blog I want to reflect on a Biblical example with both spiritual and leadership implications.  It is a classic scenario faced by nomadic leaders: 

Moving ahead without knowing all the facts or outcomes

The story is from the book of Acts chapter 10 & 11 and describes the Apostle Peter about to face a sea-change in his views.  He’s a good, solid Jewish boy who now follows the way of Jesus.  But Peter still held on to a deep-seated view of the separation of Jews from other peoples (‘the Gentiles’).  That was about to be challenged.

Through a pretty disturbing (to a Jew) vision, Peter was challenged by the God of all nationalities to start opening up his attitudes and relationship to non-Jews.  This sea-change in his views probably made him a little sea-sick!   Like many of us I am sure Peter would have preferred some time to retreat & study this ‘proposal’.  Then he could create a strategic plan and think about further preparation.

He did not have that luxury – and that isn’t a bad thing.

2 phrases in the Bible from Acts 10 reveal how at times it’s better to start acting without all the plans, strategies and understanding in place:

“While Peter was still wondering about the vision...”, one piece of the puzzle stood in front of him.  Representatives came from a non-Jew of significant standing to invite Peter to come for a visit. It was like a bridge to somewhere was opening up.  But a bridge to where, exactly?

“While he was still thinking about the vision...”, an internal confirmation/conviction came from God which convinced him to take action and go to meet this non-Jewish person.  He went still not sure of the result and perhaps a bit skeptical.

Still wondering, still thinking, still unsure, but convinced something important was in play he acted.  Once he met with this man, it became quite clear to Peter that his long standing convictions about the separation of peoples and cultures was no longer valid.  Furthermore now that we can look back in history, this discovery had global implications!

What have you missed by waiting for everything to make sense based on your current knowledge?

I am not advocating the reckless pursuit of whims, but a re-tuning of ourselves to the dynamic that many times we will not know more unless and until we choose to move with the little we know.

In this story it was only as Peter got up and went, based on the little information at hand and his growing conviction, that further knowledge became available to him.  Getting up and getting moving brought more clarity than further thinking.

In spiritual terms – it is often better to obey than to wait for all of your understanding, theologizing and planning to align. 

In leadership terms, it is not always possible or desirable to have every step planned out ahead of time.  Stepping forward without full knowledge but with the courage of your convictions, is the supreme act of leadership.

Sometimes you just won’t KNOW until you GO.

Harv Matchullis