Are You Spending Time on Trivial Issues?

by Scott D. ClaryNovember 6th, 2023

Too Long; Didn't Read

Have you ever been in a meeting where the choice of coffee for the break room sparked a passionate hour-long debate? Meanwhile, the business strategy for the next quarter – the real reason you're all there – barely got a nod.

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What’s in today’s newsletter?

Idea: Bikeshedding
Question: Paralysis Triggers
Quote: Latticework Thinking
Podcast:
- Renée Mauborgne, Researcher & Author of the Blue Ocean Strategy
- Jairek Robbins, Author, Coach & Speaker
Article: 7 Steps To Become A Millionaire

Idea: Bikeshedding

Have you ever been in a meeting where the choice of coffee for the break room sparked a passionate hour-long debate? Meanwhile, the business strategy for the next quarter – the real reason you're all there – barely got a nod.

That's Parkinson's Law of Triviality, or bikeshedding.

Cyril Northcote Parkinson showed us this with an example of a committee assigned to build a nuclear plant.

On the grounds of the proposed nuclear power plant was a proposed bike shed for employees of the plant to store their bikes while they worked.

Meeting after meeting, the employees spent more time discussing details of the simple bike shed issue and barely glanced at the complex nuclear reactor plans.

Why? Maybe fear, maybe confusion.

Here’s a possible explanation, complexity is like deep water.

We stick to the small things because they're easy. It's like floating in the shallow end.

In the boardroom, everyone’s a critic on something like logo fonts. It's simple, it's subjective, it’s the safe zone.

But ask about the ROI on a big project? You could hear a pin drop.

We lose ourselves in minor details and miss the major issues. Like obsessing over a font when you should be crafting a winning strategy.

But you can conquer bikeshedding. Try this:

Set a laser-focused agenda. Stick to it like glue. Each topic gets just enough time, no more.
Dive into the deep end first. Address the big stuff while brains are fresh.
Small team, big thinking. Less people, less noise, more action.
One voice to rule them all. Ideas are team sport, decisions are not. Appoint a decider.

Knowing about bikeshedding is just step one. Acting on it, that's the leap.

So, at your next meeting, prioritize.

Are you talking about the shed's color while your project's own nuclear reactor gets sidelined?

It’s not about the shed. It's about the journey ahead.

Focus on the destination, not the distractions.

That's the key. That's what pushes you forward.

This idea is from my short, daily newsletter. Read it here.

Question: Paralysis Triggers

Here’s a question on what’s stopping you from taking action:

What are the “paralysis triggers” that keep you from moving forward in your life?

As you pursue your goals and dreams in your life, there will be situations, events, thoughts, and emotions that trigger a sense of paralysis in you.

These are your “paralysis triggers” in your life.

You have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, but these “paralysis triggers” make you freeze, procrastinate, or give up.

They prevent you from taking the necessary actions to make your vision a reality.

Some examples of “paralysis triggers” are:

Situations that overwhelm you with too many choices, options, or possibilities. You feel confused, indecisive, or stuck. You don’t know where to start or what to do next.
Events that challenge your beliefs, assumptions, or expectations. You feel threatened, insecure, or doubtful. You question your abilities, your worth, or your purpose.
Thoughts that fill your mind with negative, limiting, or self-defeating messages. You feel anxious, fearful, or hopeless. You focus on the worst-case scenarios, the potential failures, or the reasons why you can’t.
Emotions that consume your energy, motivation, or enthusiasm. You feel angry, sad, or depressed. You lose interest, passion, or joy in what you do.

It's easy to get stuck in paralysis if you don't take time to:

Recognize your personal triggers
Understand where they come from
Deal with them effectively

But this paralysis doesn't have to be permanent - you have the power to overcome it.

This week, carve out some quiet time for self-reflection.

Ask yourself:

What specific situations, thoughts, or emotions tend to paralyze me?
Trace these back to their roots.
- Did something happen that led you to develop these patterns?
- What beliefs or assumptions fuel the paralysis?

Once you have more clarity, make an action plan.

How can you respond differently to defuse your triggers when they arise?
What affirmations or mantras can you use to stay motivated?
Who can you turn to for support?

Small steps add up.

Regaining momentum is a process of patient persistence and with some critical thought, compassion for yourself and commitment to moving forward, you can break through those paralysis triggers so they don’t freeze you in your tracks.

Quote: Latticework Thinking

“The first rule is that you can’t really know anything if you just remember isolated facts... If the facts don’t hang together on a latticework of theory, you don’t have them in a usable form." - Charlie Munger

It's about the links between the facts.

Business giants don’t just amass information. They construct frameworks to use it.

Isolated facts? Useless.

A single bee isn't a problem. A swarm? That’s a different story.

Consider Elon Musk. His companies might look unrelated at first glance.

But look closer.

Energy. Efficiency. Innovation.

These aren't just sectors. They're principles. They're the framework.

Mental models are the new currency in the knowledge economy.

Education rewards memorization. Real-world rewards those who synthesize.

Are you just collecting facts? Or are you crafting a lens to view them through?

It’s not about knowing more. It's about understanding better.

Step back. Look for patterns, systems, connections.

A fact is a single point. Knowledge is seeing the grid. Wisdom is navigating the map.

When you wake up today, think:

Are you simply gathering? Or are you truly linking?

Because after all,

Knowledge is only potential power. The true power is in the connections you make.

Podcast:

1. Renée Mauborgne - Co-Director of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute

YouTube | Spotify | Apple

Renée Mauborgne is a prominent figure in the world of business and strategy, known for her groundbreaking work in the field. She is an INSEAD Distinguished Fellow and a professor of strategy at INSEAD, one of the world's leading business schools. Renée is also the Co-Director of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute, a center dedicated to exploring and promoting innovative strategies that create uncontested market spaces. Her most notable work, "Blue Ocean Strategy," published in 2005, has become an international sensation, selling over two million copies and translated into 42 languages.

2. Jairek Robbins - Speaker, Author & Business Performance Coach

YouTube | Spotify | Apple

Jairek Robbins is a celebrated speaker, author, and business coach dedicated to aiding entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners in achieving both personal and professional success while enjoying a balanced life. He promotes the philosophy of owning your business instead of being owned by it, empowering individuals to unleash their full potential. Jairek insists that true success is incomplete without fulfillment and values meaningful relationships as its bedrock.