When there are many smart cooks in our professional kitchen
Imagine this: a bustling kitchen, filled with top chefs, each of them eager to contribute their unique flair to the evening’s meal. Sounds like a recipe for success, right? What I’ve observed it often turns into culinary chaos. This is not just a kitchen tale, but a metaphor that spills into our professional lives.
You would have seen that when a problem arises at work, it’s like a dinner bell ringing. Every ‘smart cook’ rush in, brimming with solutions. They’re intelligent, experienced, and confident. They’ve seen similar problems, heard success stories, and believe they hold the answers. But amidst this flurry, the specific issue at hand often gets lost.
The team’s insights, their experiences, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way fade into the background. Instead, we find ourselves in a whirlwind of distractions and randomizations. We circle the issue for weeks, perhaps months, only to address a fraction of it. Then, our ‘smart cooks’ move on, leaving the original team to pick up the pieces.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not dismissing the value of these smart individuals. These days I might be one of them adding to the chaos. Our knowledge and ideas are invaluable. However, it’s the process that needs a rethink. We need respect for the team who lives and breathes the problem daily is paramount.
Sometimes, we must pause and evaluate the myriad of thoughts and inputs. It’s a laborious task, but it’s necessary. I recall my early days at AWS, where we’d gather all the VPs for round-table discussions. It was challenging, time-consuming, and required immense effort. We worked long hours, including weekends, to be part of these discussions. But in those early days of AWS, there were no blueprints to follow. We needed these smart people, and even those juniors like me, to contribute to these deliberations. Every decision stemmed from these discussions. And I am so glad I had the opportunity to be part of that.
Now, you might argue that we need to replicate this approach. This might be essential if your team or company is on a path to complete the transformation phase. But are we ready to pay the same price? No, we yearn for success but balk at the price tag. We desire work-life balance. We want a collaborative culture where no one is offended, and every effort is appreciated, even if half-baked.
How can we reconcile these desires? We yearn for success, and we understand that it requires thoughtful deliberation with numerous thought leaders. Yet, we’re unwilling to pay the price. Then, we wonder why progress is slow, and why we can’t reach our destination.
Remember, every achievement comes with a price. The question is, are we willing to pay the right price?
Have you observed a similar scenario play out in your career? What did you do?
Until next time, Cheers,
Amit
Please say hi here or connect with me on LinkedIn!
