After we have looked for, and found, the ten types of opportunity that exist in any situation, our next task is to choose between them.
Peter Drucker had very a clear view about the best way to do this. He was a hugely influential author and consultant whose thinking helped shape the modern corporation and he said:
“Doing the right thing is more important than doing the thing right.”
In other words, it is better to choose a difficult path towards the outcomes you really want than to take an easy path towards the wrong results. It is better to move slowly in the right direction than quickly in the wrong one. It is better to do the right things imperfectly than to do the wrong things well.
Right now, that probably seems obvious. But how many times do we go along with what’s easy rather than standing up for what’s right? How many times do we allow things to slip instead of doing the difficult work of addressing the situation?
Sailing brings a useful metaphor.
If the wind is blowing in the direction you want to go then your decision is easy: you sail downwind. But when the wind is blowing against you then you have a choice. Either you go to where the wind is blowing today. Or you tack and jibe across the wind to get to where you want to go. This choice is harder. And you seem to be heading in the wrong direction. But actually, you are still moving towards your chosen destination.
Success in a time of change is partly about finding more opportunities. And when you have found them, it is also about choosing which is the best way forward for now, even if it seems to be different from where you ultimately want to get to. Because it is better to move slowly in the right direction than quickly in the wrong one.
Having the tools to do this is another step towards becoming antifragile.
In your work, and your life, are you deliberately moving towards the destination that matters most to you?
Adapted from Inner Leadership: a framework and tools for building inspiration in times of change.
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Photo By Dale Simonson via StockPholio.net