With the heat in the area, everyone is getting out early to exercise. Today, though, I was clearly the first one on some of the trails. As I passed through areas, I had the pleasure of walking through those fine spider webs that cross the trail. Just one strand, but you can feel it on your arms. And they stick until you find a way to get them off.

That’s the thing about blazing a trail. Being first means clearing the way for others. It also means dealing with issues that others won’t have to experience. And that knowledge is gold, because others won’t have it. And it prepares you for getting ahead next time.

Things can change fast. The Pacific Northwest was cool and wet through mid-June. Trails were muddy and required care to navigate through muddy spots to avoiding slipping. Then, all of a sudden, the weather changed and the mud gave way to dusty, dry trails. The slow going gave way to a rapid pace.

Business is the same too.  There are times when conditions require a slower pace and more care. The trick is to know when conditions are changing to accelerate.

When conditions change, are you ready to accelerate?

After trying out my new air fryer by roasting vegetables and chicken, it was time to clean it. But how? The internet had the solution: baking soda and vinegar. Both stable substances when stored alone. When you mix the two, the result is a chemical a bubbling, overflowing reaction. And results in a  better cleaner than either on their own.

You can find those relationships in business too. Sometimes it is the combination of people. Other times it is the combination of a product and a delivery method that gets the product to you vs. you having to go get it. Or maybe it is technology added to the mix that makes life easier. Those combinations make it astronomically better than any one piece on its own.

It’s strawberry season once again. Which means a fight with the birds to see who gets the berries first. The birds win more often than not, even with measures to keep them out. They want it more. And they don’t stop until they get what they want.

The same is true in business. The people and businesses that gain the advantage keep working all the angles until they get what they want. They want it more.

At the local hiking spot, the parking lot is a large gravel area. The area that accommodates three cars always has three, because it is obvious how cars should be parked. In another larger area, somedays people park in a way seven cars can fit. Other days, people space out and only four cars fit. Human nature often leads to having less capacity than if lines were in place that guided people to the most optimal fit.

The same is true at work. Having guidelines helps people achieve the optimal work. The point isn’t to micromanage or have no rules and let people flounder. It is to have the boundaries set so people know where to go.

How are you doing at setting guidelines?