One of the stories I most enjoy sharing with the people I coach is the imaginary race through the forest by two groups of people. It just so happens that the group on one side of the forest is composed of people who like to plan carefully and leave nothing to chance while the group on the other side might be called the trial and error team. Both teams are goal-oriented, but they have different ways of getting to the goal. And in this case the goal is to be the first team to get through the forest to the other side. You may recognize certain cultures as fitting more easily into one or the other style of work.
The race begins and the planner group sends a team member up in a helicopter to draw a map of every rock, tree and stream that might obstruct their progress. Upon landing, this data is fed into a CAD system which produces a map with the optimal route. Only then do they enter the forest, carefully following their plan.
Meanwhile the trial and error team immediately entered the forest and are fending their way through thick clumps of trees, over large boulders and into streams which may be impossible to cross. They learn and adjust as they go along.
The question is, who will win this contest?
How people answer says a lot about how they prefer to work. Some are adamant that careful planning will pay off while others give their nod to those who went right to work without helicopters and CAD systems. In the words of Nike, the manufacturer of sports shoes, “Just do it!”
I believe the answer can only be given after two variables are explored which up to now have not been mentioned. One is how complex is the forest. I am confident that if the forest is a maze which offers only one viable route, trial and error is highly unlikely to win the day. But if the forest is sparse, with few trees and rocks and perhaps only one shallow stream. All that planning is overkill.
The second variable requires a bit more imagination. How much do the trees move? I am not necessarily talking about the trees in Lord of the Rings. Instead, if the trees can be seen as business conditions, planning always has a built-in flaw. In an environment of rapid change, the plan which comes out of the CAD system after inputting all that data is bound to be outdated.
In the real world we are seldom presented with situations in which there is only a single solution. Nor are the trees in constant motion. That leaves us with the need to apply just the right amount of planning to reduce risk but not a wasteful amount. Every situation is unique and like the hot and cold water faucets pouring water into a sink, we adjust to get the right blend. The more complex and stable a situation, the morning planning will pay off. The more straightforward but dynamic a situation, the more we need to get going and learn as we go.
Herb