In business, we often see major technology projects (ERP, CRM) as an obstruction to operations. These projects are additional overhead. They require more money, resources, and time from the organisation. They cause business disruptions. Staff hate to experience changes, and there is always a risk that they may leave the organisation. The list goes on, and so does the rationale for getting it done with these projects.
As executives, we love to get technology projects done as soon as possible. The faster, the better! We tend to believe we will have a normal life after these projects.
However, take a step back and consider the following points:
- Has your organisation handled these projects before?
- How well does your organisation handle organisational change?
- Does your organisation have experience handling these projects in-house?
- What are you putting on the line (i.e., risking investment) to get this project completed ASAP?
- Can your team handle tight deadlines?
If the answer to most of the questions above is no, then you may want to consider slowing down. There are many reasons for us to slow down. Slowing down is a state of equilibrium where we think through new information before making new decisions. Slowing down helps us practice the unknown paths we haven’t experienced before. We may decide to get capable resources to fill in critical gaps. By no means slowing down is slacking off. Instead, we continue to develop momentum and make sensible and sustainable progress.
So consider, slowly, slowing down!
