Speed

Direction vs Speed

In many cases, direction is more important than speed. A fire truck responding quickly to a structure fire provides little use if it is dispatched to the wrong address. An Olympic marathon runner who misses a course marker does not medal if their error takes them too far off route, despite maintaining the quickest pace per mile. The Concorde was highly dependent on speed to stay aloft and amplify its brand. Yet, covering the distance from NYC to London in record time is irrelevant if the plane lands in London, France.

Pausing to confirm alignment with magnetic north (or a critical bearing point) might make our work more constructive, even if we arrive without securing the fastest known time.

Speed vs. Utility

We can talk about how fast we can go and highlight impressive numbers. However, our speed might make our intended impact less. How might we better understand the needs of those we aspire to serve so we can calibrate our effort? A regional passenger train that stops for just three seconds at appointed stations is useless to any potential riders not prepared to board instantaneously. An arts organization that says it serves 1,000 students because it flashed a single image on a screen without context for five seconds during a school district-wide assembly is not doing the work that matters. Finding our cadence is essential, which is why detachable ski lifts have become so successful. We can load and unload at a slow pace. The journey between the bottom and top stations travels at a higher rate of speed, where the reduction in total ride time is more significant.