The older I get, the more I find myself taking time to think things through before taking action. Some of this is probably an unconscious defense against today’s pressures to do everything efficiently.
Since I’m in charge, I have a luxury of time management that many others do not. That said, I often wonder about the cost of mistakes made because of impatience.
While those who have been around for a while remember slower times where contemplation was a part of life, those who have come of age with menu-driven digital technology have little experience with the clarity that contemplation provides.
Rather than thinking of their own options for action, they have been handed a series of choices for most of life’s decisions.
Each one of these menus, of course, comes with an inferred expectation that they will point and click instantaneously.
While this might be fine for the navigation of day-to-day life, it inhibits the critical thinking process for decisions of import. On the job, these might include design of a project, purchase of large machinery, the hiring or firing of personnel or preparing for strategic action with long-term consequences.
Is it any wonder then, that I hear from managers who complain that young workers sometimes appear to freeze in place when given a complex assignment the consequences of which will be lasting?
Is there a solution for this? No, other than actively encouraging those who struggle with the demands of efficiency and effectiveness to take the time necessary to thoroughly think through what needs to be done and come to decisions with which they are at peace. This means that you, as a manager or supervisor, need to shield them from the pressures of workplace demands for efficiency.
Allow them to leave the environment. Encourage them to hide. Let them develop their own approach to thinking creatively. I, for instance, do my best critical thinking and writing in two places, standing in front of a white board and sitting in a noisy cafe where I can soak in the energy of others while remaining anonymous.
Will they embrace this concept immediately? Some will, appreciating the opportunity to contemplate the options before them. Others will approach this it hesitantly because they’re not quite sure what to do with the time and lack of external prompts. Coach them. Encourage them. Teach them and most will come around.