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Lessons From the Floor

May 6, 2009 | Author: Promise Phelon | Filed under: Moving Up, Musings

While it is a stretch for Inc. Magazine to say that I learned strategy on the dance floor—I ran a multimillion dollar strategy consulting firm for years before UpMo—it is true that Latin ballroom dancing has reinforced critical lessons that apply to business success:

  1. Learn the rules and then break them. In dancing, winning is not about who has the best technique or who follows the rules. Instead, the winning couple has the best chemistry, the strongest command of the floor and the most unique style—how they dance, how they look, their choreography. But technique and rules are mechanisms that help you move efficiently, not a set of boundaries or limitations. A great dancer knows how a slow Rhumba should be danced—and then does it twice as fast because she can! The firm 37Signals embodies this truth: when so many companies were building complex Web applications, 37Signals built simple ones; when everyone else was hell-bent on an ad-based model, they charged for their service.
  2. There are absolutely no shortcuts. So much of dancing isn’t about dance. It’s about fundamentals and basics, and a commitment to regularly revisiting those steps and moves you thought you knew. The same goes for business: just when you think you’ve figured it out, take another look at the data. Boris won’t tell you this, but we at UpMo have spent much time moving (very slowly) forward and backward. Case in point: while we never planned to offer a service for job seekers, we fundamentally changed our key service after a survey of our user base revealed that a few thousand users were demanding an UpMo-style job-search solution. So we moved. Come summer, UpMo will rollout a game-changing service for finding your next opportunity.
  3. Your competitors deserve respect. I don’t know about you, but I’m always surprised when I walk the halls of a company and run into people I’ve worked for and those who’ve worked for me. Dance is the same. You may not like another couple because the judges seem to prefer them over you, but what you don’t know is that you’ll be dancing with him in two years or that they’ll achieve high enough marks to become the most renowned coaches in your area. The dance world, like the world of business, is highly dynamic; you never know where your next dance partner will come from or who will teach you the moves that could make your career. So—admire everyone on the floor. Hold your tongue. Shake hands. And take nothing for granted.
  4. What people think about you is not your concern. When we started UpMo, several people told us that professionals would never spend time managing their careers, that job boards would continue to be the way that people find jobs. Well, that’s changed in the past year. We have several thousand users and the “big-boards” are struggling in a tight economy. Caring about what people think of you is a big distraction. Every dance coach is eager to shape you into their image, but, ultimately, you must follow your own path and dance with your fellow travelers along the way.

I want to thank the editors at Inc., who had a clear vision about this piece and worked hard to get it right (read CEO Passions: Ballroom Dancing). Dresses, lights, photo shoots, etc…. Boris Glants—my friend, fellow entrepreneur and long-time dance partner—and I had a wonderful time and wish to especially thank journalist April Joyner and everyone involved in the process. I’m honored that the good folks at Inc. considered me and highlighted something I love almost as much as my work at UpMo.

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1 person has left a comment

Thank you for sharing the lessons you’ve learned, Promise. I’m learning a lot from UpMo and I’m excited by your early successes. Keep up the good work!

Greg Howard wrote on May 13, 2009 - 7:21 pm | Visit Link

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