Sometimes the pace of business is so rapid, that it is possible to miss the BIG opportunities that can propel our careers or businesses to new heights.
Have you ever noticed how productive you are after a good vacation? How easy is it to see an opportunity you had missed earlier? How much more willing you are to compromise and collaborate?
When we’re exhausted, under stress or burnt out, there’s not much time or mental space left for collaboration. We’re so focused on getting the next task or deal done or running to the next meeting, it becomes easy to overlook or miss the BIG opportunity.
To get that BIG opportunity, we may need to slow down in order to speed up. That’s because collaboration requires that we invest time in listening and brainstorming, rather than in merely doing.
- We need to make sure all involved have a clear understanding and acceptance of our common goal.
- We may need to get to know those with whom we’re collaborating on a deeper level so we can better understand their world, their interests and their business goals.
- We may need to strengthen our trust in one another so we can think more creatively and speak more openly.
All this requires that we slow down enough to really listen and consider divergent points of view and new possibilities. We can’t rush those things. We have to invest enough time to let them emerge and evolve.
So, if you have been feeling you are in a rat race on wheel taking your career or your business nowhere, consider slowing down so you can do things differently and speed up. Consider taking time to invest in collaborating with others so you and your business can seize new opportunities to grow and thrive.
Photo courtesy of The Mule in the Pool.