Fosbury Flop

The Fosbury Flop may sound like the wacky name of a dance they would do in the 50’s, but it’s actually a high jump technique used in track and field. It was popularized by American athlete Dick Fosbury at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where he won a gold medal using this technique. Before Fosbury attempted his Flop, the method for clearing the bar was one form or another of going feet first. Fosbury’s method not only won him the gold medal that year but also an Olympic record and soon became the new standard of high jump technique.

Today, we can draw inspiration from this revolutionary approach and apply similar principles to our development or business practices. The Flop was a radical departure from the conventional high jump method. It teaches us valuable lessons about embracing change, breaking free from traditional norms, and achieving remarkable results.

Similarly, we should encourage our organizations to embrace change and seek continuous improvement. Change is not something to be feared but rather a catalyst for progress. By adopting new tools, practices, and mindsets, our teams can achieve more streamlined and efficient processes. Here are a few words of advice as you seek to make changes in your organization and not just settling for “That’s the way it’s always been done”.

In any organization, the established practices and systems may have been well-suited when they were initially implemented. These decisions might have been driven by the limited features or technology constraints of the time. But before embarking on your “Flopping” journey to revamp all your business processes and code, I recommend investing time in understanding the rationale behind their current state.

Few things are as frustrating as a new team member who immediately starts proposing changes without first gaining an understanding of the current operations. So, before you initiate any major transformations, you may want to take the time to learn the historical context and reasons behind the existing processes.

Things are often more complex than they initially appear. Your business may be bound by regulations, or specific processes may have been established by management for good reasons.

Shortly after joining a company, I noticed that a small group of my coworkers were manually acquiring data for our systems. Recognizing an opportunity for improvement, I suggested to my manager that our team could develop a service to streamline this process. However, before diving into the project, we asked around to find out why this manual approach was in place. It turned out that the process had been automated in the past, but we had to revert to manual methods because our data provider had threatened to close our accounts.

This experience underscored the importance of understanding the context behind existing processes. Without that effort, a significant amount of time and resources might have been wasted.

Another common occurrence that I see when addressing changes is the phrase “This is how we did it at [Insert FAANG company here]”. While I don’t want to discount others’ prior experience or suggestions, challenges can arise when a recommendation is made solely based on past practices without considering the current context. When such suggestions are put forth, it can give the impression of seeking shortcuts rather than investing time and effort in understanding the specific problem at hand.

Also, these suggestions may often be more than what is actually needed to accomplish the current objective, potentially leading to inefficiency or overcomplication. Before embracing or implementing prior experiences and suggestions, it’s crucial to evaluate whether they genuinely align with the circumstances presented to us. Our teams or organization may not yet be at the right phase or maturity level for such recommendations to be effective.

As I stated earlier, we should not be afraid of change but actively seek improvement. Two guiding tenets that I strive to live by and apply to my work are “Progress over Perfection” and “Find Balance in All Things”.

Striving for perfection can sometimes hinder our progress. It might lead to falling behind the competition, delaying feedback that could inform improvements, and overlooking essential requirements. Embracing imperfections and being open to occasional failure can be as edifying as our successes. I believe failures only truly become setbacks when we fail to learn from them and grow.

As for balance, it’s crucial not to rush ahead or lag behind. Take the time to thoroughly assess situations. While you might not always get everything right, the important thing is that you are making progress. In both our pursuit of progress and our search for balance, we find opportunities for growth and improvement.

So, in the spirit of Dick Fosbury’s high-flying success, let’s embrace the ‘good kind of Flop’ in our endeavors. Keep progressing, stay balanced, and remember, it’s all about the art of the graceful leap forward. May your journey be as legendary as Fosbury’s flop, reaching new heights and achieving remarkable results. Happy Flopping!