May Busch* believes there’s a great deal to be learnt from that old fable ‘slow but steady wins the race’.
My team and I were rushing to get out of the office so we wouldn’t be late for a client meeting.
As we hurried, we forgot to bring the presentation books.
Fortunately, someone noticed just before we got into the taxi. Then it took another seven minutes to go back up the elevator, grab the books and get going.
We ended up being later than if we hadn’t hurried.
Maybe you’ve had a similar experience?
Whether your reason for rushing is to meet a deadline or because you feel behind in your work or life in general, the desire to hurry up has become the norm.
Fast is a good thing in our society. If you can get there quicker it’s better.
When it comes to your career, fast isn’t necessarily better. It can backfire.
There are some important reasons why you need to slow down to speed up your time to success. Sometimes slowing down is what wins the race.
I know, it’s counterintuitive, and as the author of a book called Accelerate, you might think it’s odd that I’m talking about slowing down.
Here are three reasons why you’ll enjoy greater success by slowing down: Better performance; executive presence, and personal wellness.
Performance is not always enhanced by speed.
Slowing down means not rushing to do the task at hand; instead, honouring the importance of preparation.
It pays to take a few moments to organise your thoughts and get your mental and physical game in place before you dive into the ‘doing’.
Slowing down also allows you to prioritise the things that really matter instead of falling victim to the urgent or familiar at the expense of the important.
Instead of getting swept along with the urgency of the moment, give yourself the gift of stepping back — even for a few seconds — to think first before you act.
Which brings us to the second reason: Slowing down enhances your executive presence.
So much of executive presence and gravitas are about your pace.
This is where slow beats fast every time. Have you seen your chief executive running through the hallway? Or gushing out words a mile a minute?
When you’re speaking, slowing down lets your words sink in. You’ll have the time to pause for effect.
People will be better able to absorb the points you’re making.
When you slow down, it also helps you make room to listen. To really listen to what the other person is saying, which requires being present in the moment.
This allows you to have conversations based on trust, which is the bedrock of building relationships.
The same goes for how you move through space, whether that’s walking down the hallway or your hand gestures on Zoom.
When you slow down, you’ll feel more calm, confident and in control — and that’s how others will experience you as well.
Most important of all, your personal wellness will improve.
Living in the world of urgency and ‘now’ can feel powerful at first. In my case, I love the adrenaline-inducing feeling of being in demand and getting things done.
However, operating in ‘emergency mode’ as your default is costly.
It burns a lot of energy, and when you’re constantly on high alert, it causes stress on your system… the negative kind.
So don’t wait until you have to slow down to slow down.
If this feels challenging or you’re sceptical, you can start by applying the concept to one part of your life, like being present when you eat.
Instead of reading, listening to podcasts or watching videos, savour the food using all your senses.
Chew slowly and enjoy the sensation of eating something nutritious. If you’re sharing a meal with others, enjoy the conversation.
This one small change made a big difference to my ability to enjoy life and feel less stressed.
What if everyone else is speeding ahead and you don’t want to be left behind?
Social pressures and natural human instincts are powerful, and I know too well the expectation of getting there fast.
As a mentor of mine says: “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.”
Like the story of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady can give you the staying power you need to succeed in the marathon of today’s careers.
Just don’t make the mistake of running someone else’s race.
Now is a great time to slow down and make better decisions on what to spend your time doing and how you go about doing it.
So when you’re tempted to rush ahead, remember why slowing down is the better way to go.
*May Busch works with smart entrepreneurs and top managements to build their businesses. She can be contacted at [email protected].
This article first appeared at maybusch.com
