Today I was reading something George from another La Carrera Panamericana Volvo team wrote about us either performing a labor of love or just being plain stupid. I have to agree and tried to remember some old saying about genius is close to insanity. As a matter of fact I read somewhere that when people say that genius is close to insanity, they are wrong; by definition, genius is insanity.
What a coincidence it was that right after I read his reply I received an email from a friend in South Africa whom knew absolutely nothing of the aforementioned conversation. As a matter of fact there may very well be a valuable lesson to be learned here and I thought it so fitting to the whole experience that I decided to post it here...
Slow Down Culture -
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It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.
Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general Sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.
Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need
a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.
Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.
Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour
workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!"
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said,
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalized world.
4 comments:
Good Post it was very Moooing for me.One thing I learned in Mexico never hurry for anything it just happens when the time is right and everything will be OK.
George,
Yes, I can testify that's true of Mexico. I remember my very first adventure to Mexico some 37 years ago. Since I was a boy who read just about everything written about marlin fishing adventures you could imagine by Zane Gray as well as articles by Hemingway and Steinbeck and more I had dreamed of doing battle with a big billfish myself. When I finally made up my mind to go to the famous Sea Of Cortez I began researching where to go. It seemed in almost every brochure I found they all said, "And when you first arrive we will help you to slow down the fast pace life you now lead with one of our complimentary margaritas."
What I eventually found out is, you better get used to them margaritas because NOTHING happens fast in Mexico and the margaritas only help to pass the time. I will never forget after 3 days of non-stop driving on what then was no road at all, how they could not understand why I was in such a hurry to get on the boat to go fishing. "Senior, please, let's wait until tomorrow to go. For now, just enjoy the margarita and be our guest."
If there's one thing I have learned over the years in Mexico it's if you want to catch a big marlin or drive a fast car you had better have a few margaritas first.
Great post Gary!
Thanks Brian. I have really been enjoying your blog. It's got what real men need. Keep up that great site.
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