Fast or Slow, Dumb or Smart

When Ding Happens, do you respond fast and smart, slow and dumb, or somewhere in between…?

I had just finished writing a blog post and ran my spell checker. It promptly found a misspelled word, “rhe.”

Quick, if you had just one guess as to what I mean to type when I typed “rhe,” what would your guess be?

Of course the word is “the.” It’s only the most common word in the language, and the “r” and “t” keys are next to each other on the keyboard. Simple, right?

Interestingly, my spell checker offered up 17 possible words and “the” was not one of them!

That’s shocking. Here are a few of the alternatives it did give me: “rhea,” “Rh,” “hep,” “rheum,” and “rh.” yes, all of those seem like much preferably words to a simple “the.”

Any human would look at “rhe” and say, “yup, that’s supposed to be a “the.”” The computer, while being lightning fast and able to proof-read a document much faster than a human, is limited by the algorithm it is programmed to follow.

The computer is very fast, but dumb. Dumb in the sense that it can only follow a preset path. Humans are slow but smart. Smart in the sense that they can think creatively and piece together incomplete or incorrect info.

There is a parallel here to how people react when Ding Happens. You can react to the unexpected fast or slow, and you can be smart or dumb.

Let’s take a look:

Fast and Smart

Obviously the ideal response. React quickly, and react properly. This is what the best improvisers do. It’s not always easy, but it can be done and it can be taught. Check out The Step By Step Process to Improvising with Anything for more info on that.

Slow and Smart

Slow and smart is not so bad. Taking time to think through responses and consequences is the mark of a calm, stable leader. While their may not always be time to be slow and deliberate (which is why “fast and smart” is the best), the ability to make smart choices is critically important.

Dumb does happen. Just don't let it happen fast

Slow and Dumb

Slow and dumb is not so great, but it’s not the worst scenario. At least in this case when a person is going to choose a dumb response, they won’t do it right away. By being slow, they allow for the possibility that they won’t even have a chance to respond. While you don’t want to stay in this category, you are better off here than in the final group…

Fast and Dumb

The worst and most dangerous option. Many people like to “jump into action,” when the unexpected happens. Sadly, they don’t always think through what they are doing, nor do they think through whether their actions are going to help or actually hurt the situation. Like the computer, people who react fast and dumb tend to react the same way to every situation, not allowing for the variations and nuances that may exist. They put everything into a “mental box” as quickly as possible, even if things don’t belong in those boxes.

Be very wary when you are amongst these people, for they will get you into lots of trouble (though they will seem like they have the best of intentions). And please, for the love of God, don’t be one of these people! Slow down if you must – even if you don’t come up with smarter responses, at least you won’t be making the situation worse…

Improvising with the unexpected isn’t just about being fast. It’s about making the best choices fast. This is why the step by step process to improvising with anything is so useful. It shows people how to make the right decisions reflexively, so they happen very fast. It also gives people the tools to stay open minded and think creatively so that they can avoid the rigid thinking that leads to dumb responses that makes bad situations worse.

Pay attention to the choices you and the people around you (employees, co-workers, friends, family) make. Which group are they (and you) falling into…?

About

By Avish Parashar. As the world's only Motivational Improviser, Avish uses techniques from the world of improv comedy to engage, entertain, and educate audiences on ideas around change, creativity, and motivation. Connect with Avish on Google+

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