Valeria, these are terrific reminders. Sometimes the best decisions come from - waiting - for situations to develop and for more information to arrive. Will we ever have complete information - no, but as you said a rush to a decision sometimes produces sloppy and sub-par results. I like Robert Rubin, Former US Treasury Secretary's approach, he would often ask, "how much time do I have to make this decision?" and then push for an extension!

We agree with the commenter above. Patience truly IS a virtue!

Paul,

I had an excellent example of patience yielding better results today. I was at one of our facilities with a camera crew shooting some b-roll and conducting interviews. The stills and frames were so much better when we had the patience to wait for the right angle.

Yes, you are not going to have all the information. Sometimes you just need a little bit more.

Nick, Tina, and Kate,

Thank you for visiting with us.

These are very good points for internal facing groups (i.e. marketing helping sales with a new ad). The "measure twice, cut once" method always yields higher quality deliverables.

What started the article, however, was making customers wait and that is never a good thing.

That is a good point, Dale. Except for these days everyone wants their cake and eat it, too. We as consumers want lower prices and more selection. We enjoy spending a long time going through merchandise to find a great deal, but then we have less patience when it comes time to check out.

What strikes me in this topic is the need to set expectations. So often mareting is just seen as a way to support sales or publicize a product. The expectation becomes that marketing doesn't have anything more important, so when a sales project is requested it should have proirity and 100% of the departments time dedicated to it.

Now, I do

John,

There is definitely a need to set expectations - ours and those of other people. Marketing is so much more than selling, and yet organizations have become very impatient as they look for quicker and faster results. At this pace, we won't be able to have relationships at all.

As for the time... it is well known that marketers use a different scale - often 300% with the third 100% dedicated to the pursuits that can really help the company grow and thrive (as they usually have to steal that time away;-).

I have to confess that the title of your blog post was intriguing for more than one reason.

Anyway, enough of that, I do think that television and the Internet, fast pace of modern life, etc., have made people very impatient. Maybe it has always been this way but it seems like it is worse now.

This impatience often seems to do more harm than good. I can think of lots of examples too numerous to mention here.

At the risk of sounding trite, we need to slow down a notch and think things through.

I believe it is the U.S. Navy SEALS that have a saying that "slow is fast." I think what they mean if someone rushes too much they mess things up but if they do it right and precisely it gets done correctly. In the case of the SEAL the stakes are higher but perhaps we can take a lesson there.

To more peaceful shores, one finds ideas and calm flow from slowing down just a notch and staying mindful when possible.

Neil,

That is what we most admire about Europeans, isn't it? Taking the time to enjoy each other, not having to be so busy that everything has to be about transaction. Well, at least I do like that lifestyle ;-)

Your take is well put. Mindfulness allows us to be in receptive mode, which is when greater opportunity knocks at the door of our consciousness. You've come so far from the intrigue of my title. Thank you for weighing in, always a chance to learn for me.

Yes, keep those titles coming and I will keep reading but, frankly, the title is all you needed. No need for the actual blog post. :-)

After a number of trips to Europe, I have to agree with you that many Europeans live very well. It is great to sit and sip wine and have a good discussion.

In addition, many great ideas (business and other) have come with people have been on a walk and so on. More than one great artist has a muse in nature.

By the way, Italy is my favorite European country and Venice is my favorite city there. I went to Europe for the the month of October, 2004, much of it in Italy. For just 10 Euros, I would get a 24-hour water bus ticket and lride around much of the day. The beauty is astounding.

I went to that Lido, I believe it was called, and was one of the few tourists there in October. I was the only one swimming.

Though Cinque Terre was another favorite. I must have hiked back and forth between those 5 towns a half dozen times.

Though Italy is sublime, arriving late in Prague, The Czech Republic, and walking the Charles Bridge brought tears to my eyes. I had not really planned Prague so perhaps it was pure spontaneaty of saying to myself (I traveled alone for most of the trip), I could go to Prague. Yes, to the train station. How do I get to Prague? Yes, off to Prague.

Then to Northern France to meet a friend from high school who now teaches college in Sweden. We hitch hiked around Northern France. Two scruffy back packers and we were picked up by families in mini-vans, rode in the back of a farmer's pick up truck, etc.

The French we met seemed to like these two American vagabonds.

Just some reflections on Europe as I sit here in Portland, OR. This post about slowing down and thinking reminded me of that trip and others.

One must break the routine occasionally. I wonder how many great ideas were begotten on country lanes or staring into ocean waves?

When I go back to visit with my family, which was just this past Christmas and New Year's, I either walk, take a train, or bike all over town. It's fantastic not to have to worry about parking. It frees the mind to take it all in with fresh eyes.

It sounds like you had some excellent travel mediations. Cinque Terre is one of my favorite haunts as well. I stay in Chiavari, which is a nice little town with exotic gardens, amazing food, nice used books stores, movie theaters and shops. Then I take the train to visit Cinque Terre with a day pass.

On the other side there's Portofino (you take the train to Santa Maria Ligure, also a nice town, and the bus to Protofino), and Sestri Levante, which affords a marvelous view being located on a limb of land where the sea can be seen on both sides.

What routine? Hahaha. Thank you for the tour.

Routine? Routine, you ask. Work. work. work. Thanks for the suggestions on places to visit.

Yes, the Italians know how to live. A walk after dinner is good.

Where are you from in Italy?

Thanks

Valeria, I was wondering your opinion on something and opinion of others, too. I'd like to learn another language.

I think I have it narrowed down to Spanish or Italian. My uncle said Spanish would be more practical (more people in the U.S. speak it) but Italian would be more fun. He is an opera fan so I suppose Italian is his idea of fun though, god help him, he is now studying Latin. I guess that is one of the benefits of being retired.

I have asked other people and get some version of what my uncle said: Spanish would be practical and Italian would be more fun.

Spanish or Italian and why? And why the pattern of people saying Italian being more fun than Spanish? Maybe it is assumed that Spanish, being more practical, would be less fun. Conversely, the sheer impracticality of Italian makes it ipsofacto more fun. After all, I'd only be able to speak it on occasional trips to Italy and perhaps the knowledge would transform me into an Opera fan.

My home town is Modena. Italian is more fun because Italy is fun. Even politics in Italy are a joke.

Up to you, really. But understand one thing, made in Italy is a great brand ;-)

I just looked up Modena and it seems absolutely beautiful!

It seems like it would be easy to walk or bike (as you mentioned). I see know cars in this photo. :-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Modena_Piazza_Grande.jpg

I meant, of course, I see "no" cars. However, from a read about the place there are plenty of Italian sports cars made there. They "know" cars.

Hi,

This reminds me of "Blink" a book by Malcolm gladwell.

I thought it would be fun but didnt really think it was practical enough, I tried taking decisions in a blink ;)
but ended up messin a lot of things and am back to my old ways of taking much time and then making decisions,

I think its better to be lazy at times.

Cheers...

@Neil - you are too kind. Modena is indeed a gorgeous place, if I may say so. And my Piazza is one of the most beautiful in the world ;-)

@Varun - I sometimes joke that if I wait long enough to do something, the direction changes and I would not have to do it anymore. Thank you for coming in and joining the conversation.

Valeria, *you* are too kind for telling me about beautiful places to visit. Your list:
Modena
Chiavari
Santa Maria Ligure
Portofino

This is something I would never have thought of:

"I stay in Chiavari, which is a nice little town with exotic gardens, amazing food, nice used books stores, movie theaters and shops. Then I take the train to visit Cinque Terre with a day pass."

Wow!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Portpa01.jpg

Comune di Chiavari
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chiavari0002.jpg

BTW, Valeria, you are lucky to have your own Piazza. As an American, I cannot say my Piazza.

Maybe I can adopt one next time I am in Italy. I could bribe some local official, perhaps.