Calmly Pushing
It was good to be out in the world again. I haven’t been out and about in the world much since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. So I appreciated the invite to the Leading Design conference in London and the opportunity to talk face-to-face with digital and design leaders.
My main takeaway from the event is similar to a lesson I learned through my mindfulness practice. Consistency works. Doing something daily with direction and intent, calmly pushing, goes a long way over time. It’s an age-old lesson: moderation in all things, the tortoise and the hare, the middle way. But, it’s a lesson that hard for digital teams.
We have developed a development culture that includes working hard, burning out, and finding others to work hard again. We’ve told ourselves that this way of working is necessary to survive—that this is entrepreneurship, this is innovation—this is the way of business. And maybe that is one component of business, but it’s not the sustainable part. And, as businesses and the people in them grow and mature. We must find better ways to push toward shared goals and values calmly. We have to get better work done in better ways, sustainably and safely.
How do you create an environment of calm but consistent progress for yourself and your team?