Mechanics, consistency + intensity

In Crossfit there is a mantra, drummed into our heads by Coach Dan at my local box - “mechanics, consistency, then intensity”. 

Mechanics means getting the movement right once. Consistency demands that your hundredth rep looks like your first. Lastly comes intensity, adding more weight, moving faster, working harder.

The order is critical. The aim is to minimise your chance of injury whilst making steady progress. Until you can perform a movement consistently well time and time again, adding weight or trying to move faster will only result in breakdown.
 
The same principles can be applied in business. 

Knowing where you are within this journey is key. Do you have the underlying mechanics of your offer right for one customer? Are you making them happy, or are there things you know you need to improve? How about your operating model and staff? Do you have the right systems and processes in place to deliver time and time gain, or would your model crack under the pressure?

When you are confident that your offer and operating model are working, only then can should you scale and add ‘intensity’ to your business by chasing growth. 

Getting this order right means that when you grow, you grow from a strong base.  Don’t skip the step of investing in and building an operating model capable of coping with more customers without negatively affecting their experience. 

This might mean concentrating internally on how your business works, resisting the temptation to focus on your marketing activity to drive immediate growth. As Steve Jobs observed, “I discovered that the best innovation is sometimes the company, the way you organise a company. The whole notion of how you build a company is fascinating”. 

Doing things well once is not enough. Building a company that lasts means doing it right every time.