A post of Greg McKeown reminded me of something I had learned recently.
When I was trying to play a violin for the first few times, I struggled to make progress and got frustrated after some weeks.
I was only reproducing simple melodies in open strings focusing on using the bow on the right strings.
Despite my efforts, when comparing to the same score recorded by a professional violinist, the difference was staggering.
I was rushing the notes on top of each other, the sound felt more like a scratch while the recording played smooth and pleasant notes and transitions between strings. The recording sounded like water flowing in a small stream. I sounded like an angry wounded cat.
When I started using a metronomer to set the rhythm, the difference was overwhelming. The time for each note allowed me to move the bow in a constant speed, the tempo set the correct speed of the bow, and it turned easier to understand if the bow direction was correct because of its influence on the pitch of the note.
I started making quicker progress while putting in less effort, because I disciplined my effort under the adequate rhythm.
But I had a very hard time putting my need for speed and natural tendency to rush in check. That required discipline and focus.
This reminded me that the same principle can be applied in management. If we only focus on speed, the wrong direction and the lack of rhythm (or discipline) can undermine our progress. If we can find the propper rhythm of work, and manage to put the speed under the discipline of the right rhythm, we should be able to achieve more in a more natural way, therefore with less effort and struggle, in the direction we set ourselves to.
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This article was originaly posted on LinkedIn at September 15, 2018.
Compliments of the Author 