There is an old fable about the hedgehog and the fox. It is a discussion about whether you are a person who needs one defining idea or can chase many ideas at once. It is from an essay by a Greek poet and then further expressed in an essay by Isaiah Berlin - (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hedgehog_and_the_Fox). "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."
Which one are you - a hedgehog or a fox?
Is it better to be a Hedgehog or a Fox?
In today's fast-paced business environment, there are many ideas to chase. In fact, those new technologies and opportunities just keep coming - should they all be considered?Should you put all your chips on one big idea - risking a better idea you did not explore, or put one chip on them all in hopes that one of them 'pay off'.
I am not suggesting I know the answer, just some strategies:
- You don't have enough time to chase them all - so prioritize.
- Constantly evaluate new technologies and see where they might fit.
- In today's technology landscape - you better be a bit 'foxy'.
The hedgehog concept is interesting as it describes the intersection between passion (being 'all in'), economic growth (value proposition), and what you are best at (another aspect of being all in).
The sweet spot is in being a fox about technology and then a real hedgehog about focusing in on your passion.
David Haynes, NCARB, PMP, LEED APIdeate Director of Consulting
David is a Registered Architect, Project Management Certified Professional, who previously had his own architectural practice and was President of a commercial design-build construction company for 15 years. A graduate of University of Arizona, he has worked as an Architect, contractor, developer and as a national construction manager for a national retailer. David currently provides business process analysis, virtualization and change management solutions for AEC clients across the United States involved in the design and building industry. Follow David on Twitter: @dhaynestech
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This post was originally published on David’s blog Connecting the [Data]…
