Technology and business are constantly moving forward at a rapid, relentless pace. To keep up we race to accomplish more and more, faster and faster, with ever greater "agility." However, could we unknowingly be introducing an element of risk?

While there are obvious benefits to staying ahead of the game, is the price we pay too high?

If life and work move so fast they careen almost out of our control, are we "IT leaders" and our staff able to:

• Understand the real issues?
• See ahead beyond our own narrow vantage points?
• Seek our own identity within ourselves and not our positions?
• Find new and creative ways to achieve goals, rather than remain trapped in the same old ways of doing things?
• Remain true to our character and competence over the long haul, despite the crises that come along?
• Be "countable" vs. just being "accountable"?

Certainly we need to slow down at times, and take stock of what we're doing. It's been said that what cannot be measured cannot be managed (or improved), and while not everything that can be counted, counts, it can be useful to see how far we've come and reassess where we are going.

With way too much to do and far too little time to do it in, are we, as IT leaders, able to invest in developing ourselves or spend quality time in developing each team member to his or her potential?

For example, what type of leaders do we want to be? ...a leader who gets the job done by using others OR a leader who develops others while empowering them to perform at the highest possible level? Obviously, we should prefer the latter, but do we take the time?

As for our teams, do we take the time to understand each member as an individual? What about developing each person to his or her potential, doing what he or she loves to do? Do we ensure that the individual is fully engaged? ...or again, do we succumb instead, to the daily time crunch?

Let's slow down to a manageable pace. Let's stop trying to get things done "yesterday."

A busy IT leader may feel he or she doesn't have the luxury to "stop and smell the roses" once in a while, however balancing IT work, and worker balance, may prove a more reliable route to truly sustainable IT success!