Sustaining Speed - Adapt, Improvise, And Overcome

Posted on February 17th, 2012

This is the last of our series focused on the themes of Fast and Faster based on the writings of Jason Jennings, author of it’s not the BIG that eat the SMALL . . . it’s the FAST that eat the SLOW and other popular business books (reprinted with permission). See Contributing Authors for a more detailed explanation.

“The fastest businesses have shifted their emphasis from doing more forecasting to becoming more nimble – making themselves able to generate quick assessments, land in the right direction, and build a team that constantly adapts, improvises, and overcomes.” (p. 244)*

A SIXTY-SECOND HEADS-UP (p. 249)

• No plan, however well thought out, survives contact with the enemy.
• Unless your company learns to adapt fast, you will perish.
• Most people should wear a T-shirt that says “Change is great – you go first.” They’re lots of talk and little action.
• The fastest and most successful companies make a regular visit to the jaws of hell and peer in to see what awaits them if they are not able to change.
• Regularly ask the question a la Andy Grove: “If I was fired tomorrow, what things would my replacement do differently?” Then…do them...
• If you want to keep moving fast, hire intuitive people who know how to jam.

“Fast businesses have come to the same conclusion: you have to hire attitudes over skills.”

NOTE: As stated above this is the last in what has been an interesting and informative series aimed at making us all fast and faster. THANK YOU Jason Jennings.

But, this isn’t your last opportunity to learn from him. As previously announced, Jason will be the Keynote (and a break-out session) speaker at our April 24, 2012 Mason Leadership Symposium. Register here to see him “live and in person.”

“USA Today has named Jason Jennings one of the three best business speakers.”

^* Page numbers are from it’s not the BIG that eat the SMALL . . . it’s the FAST that eat the SLOW, by Jason Jennings & Laurence Haughton, reprinted with the permission of Jason Jennings.