“A man’s conscience, like a warning line on a highway, tells him what he shouldn’t do, but doesn’t keep him from doing it.”
– Frank A. Clark (1860 – 1936), American lawyer, politician and US Congressman
On-ramps and off-ramps — the way we navigate the open road and good checks and balances for our plans, forecasts, and execution.
Sidebar: I’m always impressed when a historical figure nails a topic that they never really experienced in their lifetime. There weren’t a tremendous amount of “highway” be the time ol’ Frank passed in 1936…but I digress…
The Youngest of The Three will start “practice driving” this weekend, preparing for June when she gets her drivers’ permit. Her older bro and sis both had the same reaction the first time we went on to a major highway. “Whoa, Dad, how do I know when to go faster, slower, when to get on and off the highway?” (The tallest also said, “Dad, just so you know, I hate those big trucks…but I digress again…)
It’s like our plans and forecasts and executing against them.
Once we have a plan, we know we’re trying to get from Napa Valley to Chicago, we map our route. That’s our plan. We estimate it will take us about 31-ish hours, based on the “fastest route.” Depending on the time of year, we might have to change course due to snow in the mountains (twice), seasonal weather swings, traffic mishaps, road construction — tons of factors.
Where we get it wrong in our business planning is saying, “We’re going to Chicago on I-80. We’re leaving Napa at 6 AM Tuesday, driving straight through, switching drivers every five hours, and with gas / potty stops, we’re going to arrive at The Bean at 3 PM on Wednesday. There. It’s settled.”
We hit snow at Lake Tahoe. The “plan” says “press through!” We hit traffic in Denver. We get tenser and terser and more impatient, because the plan says, “Bean by 3 PM tomorrow!” By the time we hit the Nebraska border, we’re doing 94 mph, which the Nebraska Highway Patrol takes great exception to, and the stop adds 22 minutes to our already wrecked “plan.” Our “forecast” is shot, with a third of the trip left — and no chance to recover. At this point, we’re too far from the nearest airport to even get there via alternate means of travel. We gotta keep driving, keep executing, but now towards a different plan.
Where are the on-ramps and off-ramps in our route? Should our only plan be “3 PM on Wednesday at the Bean,” or should it be: “In perfect conditions, with no hiccups, we’ll be at The Bean by Wednesday at 3 PM. It’s 2103 miles, though, and we’re going to hit some snags, especially in the mountains and on the Kennedy Expressway. Let’s plan on breakfast Thursday. If we get in before dinner Wednesday night, we’ll call — and let’s get a bite then. Worst case (the weather looks dicey around Tahoe), let’s plan on lunch Friday, and re-calibrate once we’re through the mountains.”
Where do we stay on the highway and maximize speed and traffic flow? Where do we get off and rest, check the weather, consider whether our chosen route is still the best one? Where do we choose a two-lane road with some stop lights and small towns? Where do we get back on, how fast do we drive and where is our next option to get off the highway? Back on?
What are our likelihoods? Likely-case, best-case and worst-case? What do we know, need to know and not know?
How much better will the trip be when 3 PM Wednesday at The Bean isn’t our only successful outcome?
Editor’s Note: Long-time readers know I’m not a rear-view mirror guy, for the most part. The headline today references it, but primarily intends we consider the side-view mirrors. Who’s flying up on our left? Who’s on our right, that might affect our ability to exit? If there are 17 cars behind me, should I consider getting out of the left lane? (Sorry, Wisconsin subscribers, I know that one hits close to home…!)
Higway driving, like business planning, is about entry and exit points, speed, options and knowing what is around us on the road. Both require knowing when to merge, accelerate, check the mirrors and exit. The destination doesn’t have to change — but how we get there likely will.
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