Read This If You're Waiting For Something
Read This If You're Waiting For Something
In the "productivity" or "project management" world, things you're waiting on are called dependencies.
You're dependent on someone's work to get done so you can start your own.
In complex projects, you may have multiple dependencies--which means even if some of them are ready on time or ahead of schedule if ONE of them is late, your start time is late.
Based on this, you can easily guess that the fewer dependencies you have, the faster you can go because you're in more control of your start/finish times.
One of the reasons startups move so fast is because there are fewer departments, fewer regulations or requirements, and often, fewer stakeholders weighing in.
Faster doesn't always mean better, I'm just pointing out a real-world example, here.
The point is, that whatever you're doing, you may be waiting on dependencies that you have no control over and you might be waiting on dependencies that you can remove.
Distinguishing and scrutinizing dependencies are the skills we're developing, here.
2 Minute Action:
What are the things you're waiting on to finish or even start?
What would happen if you went ahead without them?
If you're a surgeon and you're waiting on the blood-type of your patient, you should probably hold off until you have it. The stakes are high.
For most other scenarios, the stakes aren't very high and you might find that you can get to your goal faster if you eliminate dependencies or if you work in parallel while they're in progress.
So, in 2 minutes, find a dependency you have and challenge it.
Make it fight for its life to stay a dependency.
Your work depends on it.