Delivery matters (more?)
“Delivery matters more than intention or actions” — Random thought on my drive back from work.
Today, I had a good time at work. I delivered on a task with senior leadership visibility and got commendations for that. In a way, it felt euphoric. A couple of weeks back, it didn’t feel that way. In fact, what was accomplished then had more impact than today but it felt like less of the desired view was accomplished.
What was the difference? Delivery!
Delivery is the difference between a competent intern and a competent senior engineer. The intern delivers a message with a view of problems and solutions in a manner that makes it seem daunting/over-simplified to implement, a senior engineer does the same but with a clearer view of the solution and how it adequately does so. Delivery is what appeals to the audience — though the actions taken in both situations outlined achieve the same goal with the same effort.
A fraudster and a salesman have one thing in common, they know their audience
Delivery tailors to the audience and the better the delivery, the greater the appeal. This is why sales go beyond people, it’s what the business needs to survive. They drive right at the customer's needs in a way that they feel they have found what they need but were never looking for — a stark note of deception we can all agree to. The right delivery works in all areas of life whether it be a joke or this article you are reading now, it is the fuel keeping you engaged for the long term.
In delivery, some say “simple is best” but only because the simple appeals to a wider audience. Where a wider audience need not be aware and the situation allows it, the far more complicated delivery might serve a greater outcome in the end.
What I learned is understanding the “art of delivery” takes time to perfect. It is an innate cultural view that differs from situation to situation, it might differ from time to time too in similar situations but we are all aware when we find a message or act that appeals to our desires.
When faced with a daunting task that seems impossible to tackle, work on the delivery of that which could be done and wonder less about the actions to solve the challenges ahead. This is what makes every underdog story appealing, it feels as though they jumped so high to hit an impossible mark when in reality, they stood up to fair heights they would normally reach.