I first learnt this story of balance between discipline and flexibility when working with a smaller business.
First of all, it was nothing like the challenges I tackled when working in a large organization where you have resources you can use, so you can afford to decide who needs to be disciplined and who gets to experiment freely.
For smaller businesses, this is more like a dance on a tightrope! But here’s the secret: this balancing act isn't a battle that can be won. It is however a dance that can be mastered. 🕺💃
A typical dance routine looks like this: You want to build a disciplined operation with tight processes to generate revenue growth. But the very next day (or perhaps even yesterday) market requirements & technologies shift, and you look like you’re about to throw discipline out the window as you look at adapting to new opportunities and challenges.
The magic happens when you learn to glide between these two forces expertly. It's about knowing what to hold firm to and which change to reach forward to experiment, ensuring neither aspect throws you off balance. It’s about investing in disciplined operations so you know you can respond flexibly to the changing environment.
So next time you find yourself tied in a knot between discipline and flexibility, remember, your job is not to choose one, your job is not to win the immediate round in front of you… Your job is to step onto the floor, still armed with your well-practiced routine, take in the music and embrace the dance.