What is the great both/and? How does it show up in our
projects and our lives? How do we deal with both/and things happening simultaneously
in a way that limits confusion, uncertainty, and disruption? How do we create a
path through, how do we navigate, and how do we communicate what is occurring
so that everyone stays focused on the goal?
The great both/and is another way of saying two opposite
things happening simultaneously. Two different demands that can be viewed as opposites
occurring at the same time. Two circumstances that call us forward in a way
that challenges our beliefs, our norms, and our current path. The most poignant
circumstance is the death of a loved one after a long illness. There is grief
and joy associated with their passing. Opposite emotions caused by the same
circumstance. In a project it may be pressure for speed and accuracy which also
can be viewed as opposites. “I can do it quickly but I’ll have to cut some
corners” or the reverse of “I’ll need some time to get it right” are examples
of seeing things linearly, you can have one but it will require you to let go
of the other.
Is it possible to do things urgently and in excellence? Let’s
assume the answer is yes, we have the ability to act urgently and create
excellence along the way. When our belief system suggests these two are opposites
and we accept that belief as our truth, we begin to limit what is possible. They
are not opposites unless we decide they are. If we simply say yes to a
different possibility, say yes to doing things urgently and in excellence, then
we have opened the door to finding ways in which to create that as our new
truth. What is clear is that urgency is different that fast and producing
quality is different that producing perfection. Perfection is an illusion that
requires the amount of time someone desires to continue to optimize something
that is as optimal as is necessary to move forward. Doing something fast
without attention to whether it works or not defeats the idea of speed.
In my experience, it is when we have a predetermined knowing, a belief of some sort, that prevents us from being able to see different possibilities beyond whatever obstacle is preventing a project from moving forward successfully. It is our own limited view that prevents us from seeing a different direction or a new alternative that has eluded us. I was in a meeting this morning where the participants were talking past each other because of their beliefs of how things should go or what the answer should be. We live in a world of both/and, it is not an either/or decision unless we create that in our own perceptions. When I stop and listen, I can hear both sides. When I stop and look, I can see new possibilities. When I sit with a client, I want to create both/and, the possibility that they can obtain what they want and a way to do it in a healthy manner. That is my responsibility as a project manager, to maintain the balance and integration of serving my client while serving the organization I am working for while maintain a healthy work life balance for the project team and myself. It requires seeing both/and in a way where we are all successful.
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