“Gravity is the universal force of attraction acting between all matter. Gravity is measured by the acceleration that it gives to freely falling objects. At Earth’s surface, the acceleration of gravity is about 9.8 meters (32 feet) per second per second.”
— From, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
When clients tell me that they have to go faster, I often ask them, “faster to where?”
The point of my question is this – speed doesn’t matter if you don’t know where you are going. The focus must always be on speed to the most important value for your customers and your organization.
There is an attribute to this focus that is equally important. A focus on value actually creates a force of gravity for everyone working on the project. The more important and compelling the value, the more fun it is for everyone to work on the projects that bring that value to customers.
Here are three factors to consider when inspiring people to work on projects in your organization.
Value to customers. Be clear about what the project will do for your customers. How will the project improve the customer’s situation? Will it make your customer’s business more successful? Will it help their leaders feel more in control? The more clearly and concisely you can tell the story, the more gravity that value story will create.
Value to the organization. The story of value should also include the good for the organization. Yes, more profit is likely to be good for the organization. Consider also whether the project brings interesting customers for everyone to work with. Will the projects make people proud of their contributions? Is the project a building block to even more exciting projects later?
Value to the individuals. Is the project a challenge for the people working on it? Will it help them build more skills?
The more valuable a project is, the higher the gravitational pull of the project will be. It will bring out the best in the people working on it. They will enjoy the thrill of speed to value.
Yours in the calm pursuit of excellence,
Alan Willett
