Running Next to the Bicycle? What's up with that?

I'm busy working on and with a few start-ups and also some rather more established brands and companies and even though the nature of the beasts is fundamentally different, there is one very striking similarity, they seem to like running next to the bicycle. I borrowed this saying, the title for this blog, from a facilitator at a workshop I attended. He was busy explaining to staff that how what he was proposing could add oodles of efficiency to what they were delivering, but the more he tried to drive the point home the more the attendees pointed out that they did not have the time to implement or manage the system. Finally, exasperated, he said: 'So you guys are just happy to run next to the bicycle?' - I like it, because its powerful, but also because it conjures up such a silly picture of this person running next to a bicycle not realising that by hopping on you could make your life easier.


People have got their heads down and are working very hard but to the point that they're now almost working with blinkers on and are not exploring anything new that could be helping them deliver what they need to. Take for example an internal brainstorming session that could create new ideas, most staff would say no to this because it would be seen as a waste of time while there is a distinct possibility that a discussion of this nature could yield results that provide you a with that much needed idea/concept (bicycle).The stumbling block, in my humble opinion, is in the implementation. Individuals and by extension companies are scared to implement (hop on the bike) as it takes time from business as usual and will negatively impact productivity. But this is far too shortsighted, of course there will be short term losses but the long term gains will outweigh them.


Ok, so here's how to do it. Plan your day religiously and in that plan include some time to look for your bicycle (how to find the right one will be my next blog). Once you've found it you need to provide proof to your bosses why it would be a good idea to hop on. The investigating does not have to be a complete cost benefit analysis, just some notes on improved cycle times (no pun intended here) or reductions in costs because the two easiest selling points are efficiency improvements or overall cost reductions, if you can lay claim to one of those then you're already won most of the battle to convince your boss about your new bike.