Just Do It!

Many companies, especially profit centres, work on the concept of "Doing it right the first time." Some companies are also unable to accomodate a candidate without any working experience. They expect the candidate to be able to produce results on Day 1 of starting the job. They fail to recognise that "Doing it right the first time" no longer can apply in most circumstances in today's forever changing world.

People may not "do it right" the first time either because they do not have time to do it right the first time or they are not capable of doing it right the first time. In an environment where tasks are repeatable, results predictable and tests can be simulated, it is possible to adopt the principle of "Doing it right the first time". However, in the case of problem solving, where the parameters are variable and changed dynamically, how is it possble to 'do it right' the first time?

Often, we try to limit the cost of investments into a project once we see that it is likely to over-run and will not finish as planned. Perhaps this is one wrong step as we work to answering only the questions at hand, and forgo the ideals and objectives of the project.

Nowadays, with fierce competition to deliver, it seems that bossess and managers value value exploratory failures as worthless indulgences, as they do not produce direct results, and hence are not favourable to the concept of "JUST DO IT". These managers with strictly operational experience needs to be re-wired and learn and accept new ways to manage problem-solving solutions.

JUST DO IT! This is what is required now! JUST DO IT! We learn more by doing it wrong that by doing right. We learn more if we have more wrongs than right. We learn more if we are given the chance to fail at the first try. It is only from a series of well-designed experiments that focus on specific learning goals and results that will move the project along. Focusing on trying to deliver to well-designed solution which is closed and no longer applicable is not going to yield results.

By requiring that every effort made produce deliverable results, it indirectly nuture a culture that is averse to risk taking. Without the element of risk taking, there is no knowledge gain because we continue to take the "proven" steps and refuse to trek into untouched boundaries. How can one improve and excel? JUST DO IT!

Take for instance, IT companies are responsible for information management and computer operations for most businesses. Managing the information and computer operations are operational, but the services from the IT companies, requires a more experimental approach due to the evolving nature of the products involved and the possibility of providing the first of the kind services. NOt two environments are the same, and hence, there is no possibility of duplicate or tripling the learning experience to gain a better foothold. The only solution is to JUST DO IT!

All right, since most companies and business started off well operationally, it is possible that old cultures are still ruling businesses, and has yet to adapt to the new concept of working on a project basis. The approach is to do it right by first doing it wrong. This can be beneficial on a personal level.

Take for example, writing an email. What if the person writes an email, and then is given permission to keep revising the email messages until he feels good about them. Does he feel good? Does he gain a sense of achievement? Does he learn progressively by just doing it instead of planning to write the perfect email the first time?

Start today. Throw away the principle "Doing it right the first time." Adopt the mentality "JUST DO IT!"