In an Ignitee-IAMAI event, V Ramani, who was one of the panelists referred to some old conversation he had had with Ishan Raina. He mentioned that Ishan had always urged his people to differentiate between the urgent and the important. And that struck me as a super cool statement.
So often, we are caught up in what is urgent that we overlook and ignore what is important. It is a different and more impactful way of saying ‘Spare the rod and spoil the child’. For example, if a child is crying for an expensive toy and that is provided to him because he is crying, it is addressing the urgent as against the important. What is important, in that case, is to not give in to tantrums and handle the situation in a different manner, even if it means rebuking the child.
In work, particularly in the Sales function, there have been numerous instances where we have been inclined to accept deals that bend the rules that we have set for ourselves, in an effort to meet our Sales numbers. Because the revenue at that point of time is an urgent need. These rules could be centered around discount percentages, minimum order values, taking campaigns live without sufficient lead time, etc. We obviously don’t want to lose the business and making small adjustments everytime should not be frowned upon, right? Wrong!
I have realised that it is more important to focus on the IMPORTANT. You might have to say no to some offers and it might result in some short term losses but in the long term, taking a stand and doing what is important helps. We have experienced it that holding on to our position has led to both improved revenues and improved rates. And what is more is that an example is set in the market and we don’t have to bend rules ever for those clients.
Of course, nothing is ever cut-and-dried and taking a stand has to be balanced with being (or at least sounding) flexible by giving in to some issues that do not matter in the larger scheme of things.
That is a balance that one needs to maintain.
By Sunil @ 4:43 am