Interesting thought right? Well for centuries people around the world have done just that. Used objects, like buildings to propel them forward.
There are people in the world that have learned an ‘art of movement’ from an ancient physical discipline called Parkour. This discipline used to scale buildings or obstacles in your path requires two of the main elements (or characteristics) as it takes running a business. Efficiency and Speed. Just as a savvy business owner takes a path around an obstacle as rapidly as possible to affect change, those skilled in the art-form of Parkour embody positive collaboration with their surroundings for advancement. This cause and effect of a powerful collaboration makes the obstacle nearly obsolete.
In business, it is imperative to take a long look at the obstacles in your path and determine their threat level. Additionally good business requires engaging or collaborating with your surroundings to keep abreast to potential threats and opportunities. Upon completing a thorough and speedy assessment, one can then define the work around or tactic best used to remove the obstacle. Or more simply put, make the obstacle obsolete. Whether it’s a staff member who is acting out, a vendor who is not complying with your company values system or a client who perhaps is being a bit unruly, assessing the impact is critical to creating a new outcome. Using that momentum and creative force in determining the needs for the situation is essential for weathering through what may be a trying time. Doing so expediently can mean the difference between success/movement and failure/paralyzing growth.
Parkour is not for the faint of heart. It is a discipline for those who are up for the challenge of conquering new heights and have the stamina to pursue to new levels. Business owners, leaders, and team members can learn a great deal from studying this enchanting art form. How to use the energy from every encounter to propel them forward is the essential to success.
Some experts in the field of business offer that to move swiftly and rapidly is not always effective in getting to your outcome. What is important to know, just as Parkour practitioners model consistent discipline, they understand their limits. A disciplined business owner will understand their ‘speed’ limits too, the also put people around them to help them push to the next level. One key to understanding your limits is having a comprehensive Growth Strategy in place to support the direction you intend to head. If a leader flips the switch too early on getting to the speed of whoosh on a project, without a well engaged strategy, they can leave insurmountable casualties along the way. Practitioners of Parkour know how to use the balance of drive and strategy in a sequential way as they negotiate obstacles as efficiently as possible. Something every savvy business owner could benefit from mastering.
Would love to hear your story of acceleration, conquering new heights, and using obstacles to propel you forward. What is your Parkour story in business or leadership?
