[blockquote source=”Gloria Vanderbilt”]The minute that you bring a unicorn into a story, you know that it’s a fairy tale or a fable, because unicorns don’t exist as animals. They exist as fantasy creatures.[/blockquote]
I grew up believing in unicorns.
Then I became a business owner.
And I realized that while everyone wants a unicorn, there’s a reason why nobody actually seems to get one:
The unicorn lives at the intersection of Good, Fast, and Cheap.
This isn’t a new concept. Folks have been writing about the Project Management Triangle for years now. The common adage is that you can have two of the three, but you can’t have all three:
Being in business for myself, I understand why those three statements are spot-on. Let’s say I’m working on a whiteboard animation video. If it’s going to need to be done ultra-fast, it’s not going to be cheap. If it needs to be done ultra-cheap, it’s not going to be good. And if it needs to be really well-done, it’s not going to be fast. It’s just not.
Perhaps it’s because of this that I’m also painfully aware of the irony that–despite my awareness and understanding–I still look for unicorns in my own vendors! (Oh, the shame!)
An irrational obsession
Why the heck is that?
Don’t I?
No, not really.
Busting my own myth
I may say that I want all three, but when push comes to shove I really don’t. There are degrees of excellence in performance, degrees of price, degrees of speed of delivery. All things being equal, I want excellence and speed more than I want to save money. You may have different categories that eek out the others for a top position. But the point is, we all have them. That preference for one over another.
Sure, it would be NICE to have all of these three things, but what I really want and need is for my core need to be met through my purchase.
So does that mean I don’t get to have a unicorn?
Of course not! I just have to reframe the intersection where my unicorn lives.
How to get your unicorn
Redefine your intersection of Fast, Good, and Cheap. Be honest with yourself about your expectations and about what really matters for your project. What’s the thing most worth having from this work? At what level?
If I’m hiring a team member, I want them to be fast and good, and cheap enough for my business to be able to support their position long-term. But I also recognize that if I want skill and performance, I’ll have to pay them more than minimum wage, so I plan accordingly. I set a realistic budget I’ll need to stay within, and from there I can find the skill and performance that will best meet the needs of my company.
Or perhaps, if budget is not a factor, I get really clear on what successful performance looks like for the person I seek to hire, and I use those criteria as a way to find who I need.
If I’m hiring an editor for a whiteboard animation video, I get clear about whether the most important thing is price, speed, or accuracy. (For me, it’s accuracy because sacrificing this one makes the entire project more expensive when you have to fix and correct their work.)
When I’m clear about what I truly need, I can recognize my ideal solution–my unicorn–when it presents itself. That perfect solution may live more on the corner of Fast and Good instead of smack-dab in the center of fantasy-town (Fast, Good, and Cheap), but if I get the right solution–the real unicorn–for my project need, then I’m happy!
I cannot wait to see what you draw forth,
