Slow down to go faster
Newsletter issue #13
I find myself in an airplane, on the runway, waiting for take-off. I check my messages one more time and then put my phone in flight mode. Just a moment later, I feel the G-forces in my gut when the pilot pulls the throttle. I get treated on a magical view of the skyline of Amsterdam, since there are almost no clouds.
I have flown a lot this year, all across the planet. But this flight feels different. Today I am not on my way to deliver a speech at a conference or corporate boardroom, nor am I on my way to facilitate a workshop as part of a transformation project. Instead, I am on my way to Copenhagen for a writing retreat.
Yes, you’ve read that right. I am writing a book! And oh boy is it tough. It is a constant battle with myself to stay put and keep on writing. I have managed to write for 2 hours a day, for about 10 weeks. But to maximize my butt-in-chair time, I have decided to lock myself in a hotel room for a few days in a cold, rainy city. It is the closest I can get to having a distractions-free environment.
I can’t say much about the book yet. But I can tell you it is related to organizing like a Formula 1 team. And I’m writing it together with Rini van Solingen. It is now 80% done, and I have started on the second 80%. I’ll let you know more when I can, so stay tuned!
Time for some reflection. This was the year where my article “How to build your own Spotify model” got over 50K views, and was ranked in Google above the original Spotify videos! This was also the year where my speaking career took off: over 25% of my income I made on paid speeches.
But I’m most proud on the achievements of the clients I have worked with. The people who took brave steps to change their way of working, to make their organizations more People Positive and Complexity Conscious. You make me proud, you know who you are!
A piece of advice. Don’t get bogged down in the end-of-year crunch. It’s an artificial deadline, invented by humans. More and more people are realizing it doesn’t have to be crazy at work. And in order to go faster, you first need to slow down.
I wish you all the best over the holidays. Below are a few suggestions for content to consume.
Ready to change how you work? I help complex organizations move faster, make better decisions and master the art of dynamic teaming. Contact me to find out more, sign up to my newsletter Change how the world works or book me as a speaker.
