There are some rules of the road everyone knows. Stop at a red light. Go when it turns green. Follow the speed limit (in general). But there are others that people forgot or never knew. Like you cannot turn left over two sets of double yellow lines. The rules exist to keep traffic moving safely. And when people don’t follow them, it can cause accidents or near accidents.

The same is true in business. When people take shortcuts, make abrupt changes in direction, or disrupt the flow, it can create problems. It is possible to move fast and innovate while following the rules of the road.

A few weeks ago, I ordered a few items online to be delivered overnight. The package showed up on-time. But when I saw it, something seemed off. Then I picked it up and it felt like there was nothing inside. That’s because there wasn’t anything inside. There was a slit on the bottom of the package that I assume all the items fell through before reaching me.

Could the person delivering the item know it was empty? There’s a weight listed on the label, and clearly the package was not the weight listed. But is it their job to notice?

There’s a pattern that develops over time. Some people will notice and look a bit closer, see a problem and try to resolve it. They are your top performers. Others will follow the specific instructions and not go beyond. And they will have very different views of the job. Which person do you want working for you?

It has been hot. Record breaking hot for the last four days. And my garden isn’t liking it much. The tomato plants started drooping, asking for a second watering. But, had the leaves not drooped, I would not have seen the first ripe tomato of the season hiding in the middle. It was there, I just wasn’t looking for it.

In business, there are a lot of things that are hidden from sight. And if we aren’t looking for them, we just might miss them.

For the first time this year, I grew garlic. Basically, you put cloves in the ground in the fall. Then in the spring as they start to grow, you water and fertilize. Somehow that one clove becomes an entire bulb of garlic. It’s a bit like magic.

Planting ideas works the same way. You put them out there, give them some space and nurturing and they grow and multiply. They just take a little time.

It was a typical Saturday morning. Get up, open the windows, take a peek outside. And that’s when the typical became unusual. There was a deer eating apples from the tree. In many places, that may be a common site. But not in the suburbs. The noise made by the window as it opened caused the deer to turn around and look at me for a moment. Realizing there was no danger, he turned back to the tree and munching on apples. He found opportunity that was missed by others.

In business, people often look for opportunity where it is safe. But sometimes taking a little risk can yield significant reward. You just need to have an inkling of where opportunity may exist that yields significant reward.

A month ago, two coyotes roamed through a field pouncing on little critters every ten feet or so. It was easy pickings for them. Today, in that same field, two coyotes were there. This time, they stared at me rather than ignoring me to focus on pouncing. They changed their focus to other people as they appeared on the path by the field. The focus was always on people. It was a stark change from the last time I saw them when they ignored the people in the area.

Times can change quickly. And so can focus. In today’s fast paced environment, people move their attention from one thing to another rapidly. The tough thing for leaders is keeping people focused on goals and objectives. Companies that succeed are able to keep attention on things that matter to keep them moving forward.

Last week, I tried a new recipe and liked it quite a bit. But when I pulled the leftovers out, it just didn’t have the same impact. The dish was just kind of ok. It wasn’t until the next day that I realized I forgot to add the fresh herbs before serving. No wonder! That missing ingredient brought the dish together and it wasn’t the same without it.

In business there are frequently missing ingredients. Maybe it is the front line employee that makes people feel welcome. Or the person that just makes things happen. Or the piece of data that completes the strategy. Whatever it is in your business, making sure it is there will make a world of difference.

Aphids pop up and eat a variety of plants every year. It’s a battle I fight periodically. Nature has answers to support the battle. Marigolds, lavender, lady bugs, and a variety of other plants and bugs either repel or consume the aphids. Nature develops ecosystems that allow each of the inhabitants to survive.

In business, there are natural forces that work with or against businesses. For example, a grocery store thrives when there is a sufficient population, but struggles without it. Coffee shops do well when there is sufficient foot or vehicle traffic. Construction companies do well in communities that are growing. For your business to thrive, look for the ecosystems that complement your business rather than fight it.

The work crew had just finished blocking off the turn lanes for the freeway entrance. It was a bit of a surprise the ramp was being closed given it was morning rush hour. Usually ramp closures happen at night. But the cones and the no turn signs didn’t deter the person directly across from me that turned onto the onramp anyway. Apparently they didn’t notice the police vehicle behind them that flipped on their lights and pulled them over part way up the ramp.

For many, the significant, visible barriers and deterrence keep people out. But there are always a few that ignore the barriers and go through anyway. When others see that the barriers can be ignored, they may follow suit. But if they see accountability for ignoring the barriers, they’ll be further deterred.

Human nature doesn’t change when people go to work. If there are unwanted behaviors in the workplace, it’s because deterrence and accountability aren’t functioning properly.

In a recent round of Wordle, I thought I could solve it on the third guess rather than use my typical strategy that pretty much guarantees I get it in four. Taking the risk on getting it in three resulted in me getting it in five. I would have had it in four had I used my regular strategy.

The Wordle situation highlights a difference in strategy and goals focus. My regular strategy removes a significant number of unknowns. That gives me a high solve rate. But some people want to have as few guesses as possible, but there are more unknowns. Someone taking that route is likely to have more solves with fewer guesses, but may have fewer total solves.

The same situation is found in business. Choice of strategy should be dependent on the outcomes you are looking for.