The Navy SEAL Secret to Innovation Success
“Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.”
This mantra, that originates from military training, particularly among U.S. Navy SEALs and other special operations forces, encapsulates a key principle in tactical training: the importance of deliberate, controlled actions over hasty, careless movements.
In high-stress situations, such as combat or special operations, precision and control are paramount. Rushing through tasks often leads to mistakes, which can be costly or even fatal.
But this principle extends far beyond the battlefield.
In any domain, taking your time to perform a task carefully and correctly leads to smoother, more efficient performance. When movements are smooth and controlled, they tend to be more effective and less prone to error.
The core idea is that speed comes not from rushing, but from focusing on smooth and controlled execution. Tasks are completed faster in the long run because fewer mistakes are made, reducing the need for corrections or rework.
This principle is crucial in product innovation, too.
By taking the time to clarify and determine who your target customers are, what they’re trying to accomplish, how they measure success, and where they struggle with their current product or service, you lay the groundwork for everything else downstream to be more effective and efficient. Go slow to go fast.
This is exactly what you can accomplish using the Jobs-to-Be-Done (JTBD) approach, pioneered by Tony Ulwick at Strategyn, where I worked for seven years and use today. The benefits include:
•Achieve a high degree of product/market fit at concept creation, before development
•Increase success rates
•Reduce product iterations
•Quicken time to money
•Turn product innovation into a repeatable business process
As Steve Jobs famously said, “If you define the problem correctly, you almost have the solution.”How Hilti Applied This Principle Slow is Smooth: Hilti, a company known for its range of products and solutions for the construction industry, took the time to deeply understand the “jobs” that contractors and construction companies needed to get done. These included maintaining equipment, replacing equipment, and controlling costs.
Smooth is Fast: With this understanding, they developed a comprehensive tool fleet management service that addressed these needs by offering tool leasing, maintenance, and replacement services. This methodical approach resulted in a service that quickly gained popularity and significantly improved operational efficiency for their clients.
You can now identify and rank the unmet needs (i.e., opportunities for new value creation) in your market. (We guarantee it). Would that be helpful to know before you attempt to generate ideas or run experiments?
Does this resonate with you? Let me know. I love your feedback.
