In sparring, the biggest danger isn't your opponent. It's the neighboring pairs fighting around you. When all your attention is focused on the problem in front of you, you become vulnerable from the sides and the back. I'll never forget how a neighbor crushed my comrade's knee when he stepped back in the heat of the fight.
Being able to focus on something makes you effective. But at the same time, it works against you. For instance, self-defense experts warn about the danger of wearing headphones on the street. By getting rid of the distracting noise, you risk missing an important signal to save yourself.
This dilemma is typical for some founders. You need to "keep your finger on the pulse," meaning immerse yourself in the operations. But it's also essential to rise above the business to feel the context and not miss threats or favorable trends. So, what to do?
My favorite coach, John Danaher, advises training the skill of following your neighboring conversations on the mats. In other words, allocate a part of your attention to being aware of what's happening around you. Think of the Chinese symbol of Yin and Yang. During the phase of rapid company growth, it's crucial to keep the chaos under control. So, founders should catapult themselves from the operations, at least quarterly or, even better, once a week.
Yours sincerely,
-Alexander
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