1/4 Inch

This is a concept than anyone trained in martial arts - three years of Karate-do for me - or schooled in any other kind of physical activity - especially gymnastics - knows well. If you played European football or volley ball, like I did, this idea applies there, too. It is the distance that can make the difference between a brilliant and effective move, and a near flop.

A small adjustment in posture can and does make a really big difference in business. Call it flexibility, culture, awareness, or call it change - the result is measured in hard metrics. 1/4 inch adjustments can mean:

• better integration of marketing, public relations and advertising for an engaging and interactive experience - attention and details are part of this conversation
• development around participants shared goals - this is especially helpful when joining or forming communities
• building on the old axiom - standing for something vs. falling for everything - does declaring what you stand for eliminate flexibility in your view?
• measurement metrics that are a better reflection of what is going on - correlation matters
• balance between personal and company branding activities - where's the leverage point on human?
• you may not think it's a big deal, but it can make waves from its tiny perch
• the final push to go from good to great - taking a simple concept and making it awesome - who does the project help? How could it affect more positively?

There are passionate conversations going on about big scale change, and how things need to shift today. Yet, sometimes a 1/4 inch in awareness is all it takes.

[image courtesy of Wiki commons]

____________

Enjoy our series of posts on the new gymnastics of business:

The New Gymnastics of Business: Part 4, Rhythmic Gymnastics

The New Gymnastics of Business: Part 3, the Rings

The New Gymnastics of Business: Part 2, the Vault

The New Gymnastics of Business: Part 1, the Balance Beam

Comments

[Jay]

Great comparison, Valeria. As a collegiate wrestler and student of Brazilian jiu jitsu for the past 7 years, I'll eagerly attest to the "quarter-inch" insight. To extend the metaphor, what that awareness gives you (in grappling terms) is leverage. You can be a smaller, weaker opponent but should be able to best a superior if your technique is true and your position is ideal. It take practice and tenacity to discover that position, but once you're there, you can best those who, on paper, should be throwing you around like a ragdoll. Are tweets, posts, and even replies the equivalent of windsprints and chinups?

[Bruce Christensen]

It takes a great deal of patience and personal control to wait for small movements to create a larger benefit.
Those who are at the top of their game learn exactly what you have said.

Small adjustment usually have the highest rates of return, and small adjustments requires less energy over time.

That is my 2-cents.

[A2G]

Small adjustments can require much more patience to enact than large and dramatic changes, but the results are frequently much more rewarding and long-lasting. I always think of the golf analogy, and how much time Tiger et al spend perfecting their two-foot putt or adjusting their angle by mere millimeters. A $10 million dollar pay-out ain't too shabby for taking the 1/4-inch approach.

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Jay - good contribution with the idea of leverage - it's been too long since I practiced!

@Bruce - indeed it does, but as you know the rewards are many. Building things from the ground up, with patience, allows you to see where to trim and where to water. Good one - I did get the 0.2 cents ;)

@Emily - time, perseverance, trial and error and patience are all qualities worth cultivating. Look at what they did for Tiger Wood.

[mbamieh]

Great allegory ! it is completely true but the bigger the organization the harder it is to enact such small and effective change. because the larger the organization the harder it is to be self-aware, hell its hard to even be self-aware period.
So i think its more the result of self-awareness than the particular change itself. since to acquire good self awareness you would need to be better than average on a lot of scales