This morning I’m pondering the power of inefficiency. Do we always need to be the most efficient? Or sometimes does it really not matter?
I started thinking about this after my recent FedEx shipment:
Map of recent FedEx Shipment
This is a map of a recent FedEx package I shipped. This document was shipped from my office in Santa Barbara, California to the nearby suburb of Goleta, California. It was shipped overnight and was delivered on time at 9:41am the next day. From a perspective of shear performance, FedEx did quite well. However, the irony is that in night time hours my package took a journey around the state of California.
My package went as follows:
- From my office in Santa Barbara to the Goleta sorting center via truck [10 miles]
- From the Goleta sorting center to Oakland, California via truck [325 miles]
- From Oakland to Ontario, California via plane [425 miles]
- From Ontario to the Goleta sorting center via truck [150 miles]
- From the Goleta sorting center to my bank in Goleta via truck [5 miles]
The package traveled a total of 915 miles. The odd thing is the place I was sending the shipment was only 10 miles away! Weirder still, the package traveled through the Goleta sorting center twice. This was clearly inefficient.
However, when I get off my logistical high horse I realize the most important fact: my package was delivered early. Although it’s funny to watch, actually I don’t at the end of the day care how it was done, just that at 9:41am my package was at it’s destination, my bank. That’s all I care about, the fact that my package visited the whole state of California in the waking hours ultimately doesn’t bother me that much.
In life and in business I think we put too much effort on doing things in the most efficient manner. However, this week FedEx reminded me that sometimes efficiency isn’t the most important thing. Sometimes I need to do what I know works and work hard at it. I may not be the most efficient, but I will get the job done relatively efficiently and ahead of schedule.
Food for thought.