Im-plan-ovisation
Are you a planner or an improviser? Do you like to take time to asses all the options, develop a detailed plan - or run into the forest with no pants on and see what unfolds?
I’ve spent many years in operations roles, project manager roles and planning roles, so you would think I’m a planner. But I’m not, well, not entirely. I’ve joked before that the worst time to write a plan is before the project starts. You have the least amount of experience, least access to metrics, least access to information. But plan you must. (I’ve talked in another blog about directional leadership, which covers more about this if you are interested).
Now, I love a well-executed plan - some of the most cherished moments have been when I’m stood at the back of the room seeing a great plan rolling smoothly. But, at heart, I’m a seat-of-the-pants, the-curtain-is-open-let’s-rock kinda guy. I love improvising. I love creating new things. The thrill of the unknown is a huge lure for me. At the moment, I’m caught up in creating 10min long ambient solo-bass improvised soundscapes. (Make the art you want to feel, mmkay). Improvising music means I get to create something new, mix it and done. No going back and fiddling about getting it right. It’s done. And done is greater than perfect. The other advantage is, when I listen back, I’m still being surprised and I’m still experiencing new things. But, I digress.
What I want to talk about is im-plan-ovisation. It’s a plan, with a twist of improvisation. Or the other way around. (Probably the other way around). So, what’s the difference between ‘not having a clue’ and ‘improvising a solution’? What’s the difference between a kid who’s been playing guitar for 2 weeks playing a bunch of notes he’s never played before, and a great improviser like Steve Lawson (link here) playing a bunch of notes he’s never played before? Well, it’s 2 things;
Preparation. Knowing what works, knowing what doesn’t work, knowing what could work and linking those all together takes practice.
Outcome. Most of the time (the vast majority of the time) - the experienced improviser is going to produce something meaningful and something great. It’s possible that some beginner musicians who don’t understand music could produce something great (The Shaggs for example) but it’s not likely.
So, that’s where the hybrid: im-plan-ovisation comes in. It’s improvisation, with a plan. You need a solid foundation. We are going there to do this in order to create that. But you leave room to learn, to zig-zag, to add, to remove. Obviously, don’t add features to an agile sprint just because ‘fun’ but there are always learning opportunities, and a chance to make something new. Things happen in the middle of projects, and having an open mind and an agile team could mean a new idea, direction or widget could be added to make things better.
Now, this doesn’t mean all plans need to have some ‘magic’ part in the middle where (plot twist!) no-one knows what’s going to happen next. Some (most) plans run from A-Z with no wiggles, zig-zags or magic unicorn intervention. Great. Plus, surprises in business are usually expensive and unwanted.
Sidebar: about ‘leading with your gut’ or ‘instinctual leadership’ - and this can be the same as im-plan-ovisation. Feeling you way to a resolution is a similar thing. You know what success looks like, you’ve done this before - and the answer will present itself. But, be aware of the ‘trust me, I know what I’m doing’ moment, which can be hiding inexperience, over-confidence or just a bunch of BS.
In conclusion, don’t be afraid of not having all the answers - of not having the complete picture. Of not knowing all the moving parts in a situation. Educate yourself, practice your craft and surround yourself with experts you can trust. Know where you are going, and why.
The lights are on. The curtain is open. Time to rock.
Don’t worry, you’ll figure out what to do next.
Stay safe, and wash your hands you filthy animal.
