False Opposites
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False Opposites
I think it was Jim Collins and Jerry Porras who first wrote about the ‘tyranny of the or’ as a way of thinking about what I call paradoxes. You know the scenario; the choice between speed and quality, ‘I can either do it today or I can do it right’; the choice between profit and perfection ‘ I can either do it cheaply or I can do it well’. There are thousands of them.
Collins pointed out that most of these weren’t choices between either one or the other. Our job is to deliver ‘both and’. The customer wants it right and has to have it today. The company needs to produce a quality product and make profit while doing so.
Often the art of running a successful business is the ability to ride such paradoxes.
Often in trying to resolve, or ride, these paradoxes we get drawn in to what I call false opposites. I know someone who is seeking professional help to become more nasty. They have decided that they are too nice and are therefore being taken advantage of.
However the problem isn’t that they are too nice. The problem is that they are too naïve. The opposite of nice and naïve is nice and savvy, not nasty. Denying the niceness would be to forgo the very essence of the person. Upgrading the naivety to greater savvy would be to augment the individual, to make them stronger and more effective.
We all have parts of our being that are getting in the way, rather than smoothing the way so the question for you this week is.
- What are those areas for you. What is it about you that is getting in the way?
To do:
- In the light of what you know about false opposites, what is the challenge, really?
- Come up with a set of actions to counter the situation.
- Sense check your thoughts with a trusted friend or a coach so you don’t make the nasty/ nice error above.
Many successful business owners eventually hit a wall on growth and struggle to climb it alone. When you work with me you get a fresh perspective, a solid plan, and customised coaching so you can grow and scale your business safely and at speed.
To check whether I can help you on that journey https://calendly.com/iankinnery/canweworktogether