At the first creak

As things grow, as the project or the team or the complexity grows, the systems you had at the beginning – which probably involved a lot of your head and a little bit of actual process – will creak, then crack and can blow your house down.

When you hear the first creak – start a new system and drag as much out of your head and away from your fingers as you can.

Avoid the two temptations.

Wait a bit longer – it’s worked so far, it’s kinda working still, why fix it? And no one could do it as well as you do it anyway. Could they? (Yes)

Go for bigger – let’s build for the ultimate solution. Just because a too-small system is too small, doesn’t mean you have to look towards the other end of the pendulum. Should you build something that’s future-proof? (No)

Tread between the two.

Get it out of your hands and into something right-size.

Skippy strategy: Act as it starts to crack.

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Category:
Focus