In most cases, using a truck to deliver goods is efficient but there are times when we need to stop and reassess that go-to method of transport. Such was the case on a 90-degree day when a truck loaded with bags of ice was waiting outside a store while the passenger ran in to do an errand. This ice was covered in nothing but a strap and I can’t believe that it remained tight for very long under those weather conditions.
Trucks are very handy, but if we always rely on using them, we may find ourselves in situations like this where they make no sense.
What is the equivalent of a truck in your organization – something that you default to no matter the logic or rationale behind it? Maybe you always use a particular vendor instead of doing occasional bids. Perhaps you give the prime assignments to one person instead of mentoring someone else. Or it could be that you automatically turn to one technology instead of implementing something more effective.
The next time you are tempted to do something on auto-pilot pause to consider whether it is the best response. Don’t let your rote method of execution cause your end results to melt away.
